LOADED!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Dance for Health
Consider dancing as your mind.body.spirit practice of choice this month. Put on your favorite melodic, slow to moderate paced, happy music, close your eyes, and let the music move you!
When you do a quieting activity that also makes you happy, you turn off the stress hormone cortisol and increase your happy inner neurotransmitters. These provide support to your immune system, helping to heal, decrease pain, and prevent inflammation.
On Saturday November 15th, Dr. Blum and I will offer a One-Day Mindfulness Retreat, that you won’t want to miss! We will focus on techniques you can use every day to create spaciousness and more mental freedom. And it will be a great chance to create community with other Blum Center participants!
Hope to see you at one, or all, of our Mind Body Spirit offerings!
Confused About Cleanses?
If you are like most of my patients, you are completely confused about cleanses. In fact, sometimes I think the Internet and media have created almost a mass hysteria about ‘doing a detox’. What is a cleanse and what is a detox program? Are they the same? This month I will help you sort out the difference, and decide if it is for you.
First, let’s define the word ‘cleanse’. Some people think that doing a cleanse means cleaning out their intestines, similar to a colonoscopy prep. They ask whether they will be in the bathroom all the time for the duration of the program. Many cleanses on the market use laxatives and herbs to help clean out the gut in this way, and this is not the kind of cleansing that I recommend.
Instead, from a Functional Medicine point of view, a gut cleanse means killing harmful bacteria, yeast and/or parasites using ‘cleansing herbs’ to do this. It does not entail multiple trips to the bathroom; in fact people with chronic constipation often happily find relief while doing this program, without the use of laxatives.
On the other hand, a detox program is focused on “Supporting Your Liver”. It is not about the gut, and it isn’t generally thought of as a cleanse, although your liver does continually ‘cleanse’ or rid yourself of environmental toxins, and the ‘bad’ end products of your every day metabolism. Because of the enormous amount of toxins we are all exposed to every day, and because research is showing the clear link between toxins and chronic diseases like autoimmune disease, cancer, obesity and heart disease, it is good to support your liver and tune it up periodically to keep those toxins moving out and not getting stuck in your body. A detox program uses supplements that boost and enhance your liver detox system, and this is the Functional Medicine approach to a medically sound detox program.
And finally a word about juice cleanses, which fall under the category of a liver cleanse, but without supplements. Your liver needs many nutrients to do its job, especially if you have a lot of exposure to toxins, like mercury in fish, or pesticides from your lawn or in food. A juice cleanse can be a terrific way to get intense amounts of antioxidants, B vitamins, phytonutrients from greens-all things that help your liver-while at the same time taking a rest from eating food, especially animal food. However, many juice cleanses are not organic, are high in sugar and don’t have the protein that your liver needs, leaving people feeling worse than when they started.
Here are my suggestions for choosing a detox program or juice cleanse:
- Plan on doing a liver support detox program twice/year, to tune up your liver in the fall and spring. This is a great weight management strategy, too. Use liver support supplements with a detox meal plan to get the maximum benefit. We run these programs regularly at Blum Center for Health, both onsite and online. Click here for our next program dates and for more information.
- In between the medical detox programs, several times a year or when you need a tune up after vacation or a weekend completely ‘off the wagon’, consider doing a juice cleanse for 1-3 days. Choose an organic food and juice company like Organic Pharmer, which I co-founded, to make sure the cleanses are in keeping with my recommendations. I usually do a juice cleanse day every Monday as a way of starting off the week on the right track. For more information, please visit:http://bit.ly/1lELOKR
If you have digestive issues and think you need a cleanse focused on the gut, check out our free online ‘Do It With Us’ Healing Your Gut Program. We can help you with this, too.
How Antioxidants and Greens Support Your Liver
The vegetables commonly found in “green drinks” or juice cleanses are rich in antioxidants – vitamins A, C and E, and phytonutrients called thiols. Without the support of these important nutrients during a detox program, toxins will form very reactive free radicals that may cause you to feel unwell and damage your tissues.
The following vegetables deliver vital nutrients to your body – so be sure to include them in your liver support regimen:
Broccoli: | vitamins A, K, E, B6 and C, folic acid, potassium, magnesium, and thiols |
Kale: | vitamin A, chlorophyll, and thiols |
Carrot: | vitamins A, K, B6 and C, biotin, and potassium |
Spinach: | vitamins A, K and C, and folic acid |
Beets: | vitamins A, B6 and C, iron, potassium, and manganese |
Other essential nutrients needed for safe detoxification include – amino acids, fiber, and magnesium. A liver cleanse is not the time to be nutrient deficient!
Detoxing Your Mind
Here is your detox challenge for creating more peace of mind and getting rid of mental toxins:
Take a break from the news!
News is one of the biggest causes of stress for the modern mind because the articles and broadcasts focus on the thing that grabs your attention: the risky, dangerous, frightening, catastrophic. In short, if it pushes the fear button, it’s probably on the news.
We are surrounded by one crazy story after another-if we’re not listening to them on the radio, or reading it on our web homepage, we’re hearing from a friend or neighbor about gossip posing as news.
So for just one day, turn it off. Let it go. The world will go on even if you have missed the latest episode. And tomorrow’s episode won’t be that different, as those of us from the soap opera generation remember so well.
Whew! Doesn’t it feel great to even just imagine being without the newscast!
So enjoy the silence, or put on some music that soothes or excites you, or maybe laugh out loud at the freedom you are experiencing from just that simple step. Laughter, after all, is the best medicine!
Experiencing our Signature Learn to Relax Guide & CD are wonderful tools for your relaxation pleasure.
Is There a Thyroid Disease Epidemic?
Have you noticed that many people you know have been diagnosed as having a low functioning thyroid, or hypothyroidism? And have you also noticed that they all have Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, an autoimmune disease?
The conventional approach is to prescribe thyroid hormone medication, and this has become so common, that no one really thinks twice about it. However, taking the medication does nothing to address the Hashimoto’s and what might be causing that. This is very familiar to me, because 14 years ago when I was diagnosed with Hashimoto’s, I made it my mission to go beyond taking medication, to find the cause and thencure the disease. And as many of you know, within 1 year, my Hashimoto’s was gone.
In the last decade, I have become additionally concerned because this problem seems to be affecting our children now, too. More and more of my patients are bringing their kids in to see me because they have recently been diagnosed with Hashimoto’s thyroiditis. I believe we are experiencing a startling increase in the diagnosis of Hashimoto’s in all age groups, so I am dedicating this month’s newsletter to this topic. I am also sharing this with you because my patients and staff asked me to write about it this month!
What is Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis?
This is a disease where the thyroid gland tissue becomes inflamed and damaged (thus thyroiditis) because the immune system is creating damaging antibodies that are attacking the gland. Think of it like you are having an allergy to yourself, thus the word autoimmune. For a long time, the thyroid gland itself might function just fine, making its hormones despite the inflammation. But eventually, the gland becomes damaged, and the thyroid starts to fail-then comes the diagnosis of hypothyroidism and a prescription for hormone replacement. From a Functional Medicine perspective, you can prevent the need for medication if you fix the autoimmune issue before the thyroid gland becomes irreversibly damaged.
There is another autoimmune condition affecting the thyroid called Grave’s disease, where the antibodies actually stimulate the gland, causing hyperthyroidism. Again, in Functional Medicine, we approach the treatment for Grave’s the same as with Hashimoto’s.
In order to cure this disease, we first need to look at what causes the problem at the root. Here are the 3 most common causes of Hashimoto’s:
- The thyroid gland gets damaged from toxins such as mercury from fish and silver fillings, and from pesticides in food and on your lawn. The thyroid is very sensitive to these toxins and absorbs them very easily, causing an immune attack on the gland. To treat this, you must detoxify your body and your environment. See our free online program Do It With Us: Supporting Your Liver to learn how. Or pick up a copy of my book, The Immune System Recovery Plan.
- Gluten triggers an immune reaction that produces antibodies that cross react and target your thyroid gland. There are many studies looking at the association between gluten and Hashimoto’s. Gluten also damages the gut lining and can cause malabsorption of essential nutrients, like selenium, needed to protect the thyroid gland from damage. To treat this easily, remove gluten from your diet. For help, see our free online program program Do It With Us: Using Food as Medicine.
- Due to poor digestive health, the immune system becomes dysfunctional. 70% of the immune system is in the intestinal lining and an overgrowth of harmful microbes like yeast, bad bacteria and parasites can cause the immune system to ‘misfire’. It then makes a mistake and damages tissues at distant locations in the body, such as the thyroid. There is also an important relationship between stress and microbial overgrowth. Fixing the immune system by healing the gut is an important part of the program. To learn more, see our free online program Do It With Us: Healing Your Gut.
In my practice and in my book, The Immune System Recovery Plan, we work through these steps to cure the Hashimoto’s and all autoimmune diseases. I know it can be done because I did it for myself. Today I feel better than ever and am committed to sharing this treatment program with as many people as possible. Hashimoto’s and Grave’s Disease are both indeed, curable.
Is Alcohol Good for Me?
Have you ever wondered whether or not that glass of wine or vodka tonic is damaging or good for your health? If you have, then you are just like most of my patients. This can be confusing, because just like most other things, the answer is different for each person-this is where personalized medicine really shines. With the summer almost upon us (we hope!), many people will find they are given the opportunity to drink more than usual because there will be more socializing, barbeques and vacations. For this reason, I decided to dedicate this months’ newsletter to this topic, to give you guidelines to perhaps make better choices.
Is Alcohol Good or Bad?
First, let’s discuss whether alcohol is good or bad. The answer is, it depends. While studies have shown that red wine contains resveratrol, a compound that is protective for cardiovascular disease, other studies have shown that any alcohol at all increases your risk for cancer. What to do? You need to weigh your own personal risk factors to decide what makes sense for you.
- The Good: Red wine is good for your heart. For people who want to prevent heart disease, or are at high risk, a glass of red wine every day seems to be not only okay, but also good for you. And while red wine is best, other alcohol in moderation is okay too. What does high risk mean? You are high risk for cardiovascular disease if you have angina, atherosclerosis (narrowing of your arteries), or failed a stress test; if you had a heart attack, bypass surgery, or a stroke. Also if one of these things happened to one of your parents when they were in there 50’s.
- The Bad: Any amount of alcohol consumption of any kind, increases your risk for cancer. If you are concerned about cancer because you have a strong family history, or you have had cancer yourself, you should not drink. Period. Does this mean that an occasional glass of wine or cocktail will hurt you? Probably not. But chronic daily consumption, or drinking several days every week, is not a good idea.
- The Bad: Alcohol stresses your liver. If you have known issues with your liver, other toxin exposure like mold or heavy metals or pesticides that are causing issues with your health, you shouldn’t drink, or only consume alcohol on occasion. If you have multiple chemical sensitivities, such as you can’t tolerate smells like perfume or cigarette smoke, this can be a sign that your liver is stressed with too many toxins. We can help you understand more about this by reading our Supporting Your Liver Guide or signing up for our free online program Do It With Us: Supporting Your Liver.
- The Bad: Alcoholic beverages are high in sugar. If you have diabetes, insulin resistance, metabolic syndrome, or are trying to lose weight, keep In mind that when you drink a glass of wine or a cocktail mixed with juice, you are consuming a glass of sugar. This can trigger cravings for bread and dessert and other high starch foods, and cause you to make poor food choices that undermine your healthy eating goals. This isn’t a deal-breaker, but rather a warning to be careful, and to choose lower sugar options when you drink-which means avoiding martinis and cocktails with added syrup and juices, and opting for wine or a cocktail with club soda or fresh lime juice.
Here’s my quick recap of The Good & The Bad:
If you are low risk for cancer and believe that your liver is generally healthy, then alcohol in moderation seems to be okay, which to me means alcohol socially on the weekend, and avoiding high sugar cocktails. If you want to protect your heart, then red wine seems to be good for you, and you can enjoy a daily glass of your favorite Pinot Noir guilt free.
Drink Responsibly
There are two things to consider when you drink. The first is your liver, and the second is the sugar. Alcohol is viewed as a toxin by the body and needs to be processed in the liver just like mercury, pesticides, plastics and everything else you are exposed to in the environment. It also can deplete your body of B vitamins, especially B12, folate and B6. Therefore, make sure to take a good B-complex to protect yourself against this depletion. We also suggest supporting your liver with supplements like milk thistle or doing a liver support detox program once or twice/year, such as our Do It With Us Supporting Your Liver Detox.
Another great tip is to pad the lining of your stomach before drinking alcohol with healthy fats like nuts and seeds, avocado, or something made with olive oil or coconut oil. This will slow the emptying time of the stomach so that alcohol will be absorbed slowly into the body resulting in less accumulation of toxins.
To enjoy alcohol healthfully this summer, drink small amounts with a meal that contains healthy fats.
Blueberry Lime Margarita Mocktail
This summer season, why not drink to your health?!?! This Blueberry-Lime Margarita is a breeze to make! It will give your body ample potassium to help manage fluid and energy balance and loads of health supportive antioxidants-all without the excessive calories and refined carbohydrate of traditional margaritas. The unbelievable flavor will easily satisfy any summer fruity drink craving, too. Cheers!
Creating a New Ritual
It’s been a long day, a long week-or a long year, and you are longing to relax! There are many ways to take the edge off, and if for you, this means having your favorite alcoholic beverage, it might be time to create a new ritual for relaxation. Whether it’s a glass of wine, or a cocktail, over time, this adds up to a lot of stress on your liver and pancreas. But more than that, losing yourself in the buzz of alcohol is a way to ‘check out’ of your life. While this might feel good in the short term, when the high is over, your stress and problems are still there, and your emotions stay stuck in your body! This is not an effective way to manage stress.
Instead, it is better to cultivate a new practice or ritual that will help you ‘check-in’ with yourself. Checking-in just means that you are staying in the present moment so that you can feel your emotions and let them move through you instead of becoming stuck. All mind-body techniques like meditation and guided imagery help you ‘check in’, but it can also be as simple as listening to music, going for a walk, taking a few minutes to sit in the garden and watch the birds and breathe. You can make our ‘mocktail’ recipe and think of it like a drink, sipping it slowly while you relax. I love listening to my favorite music while preparing or eating dinner. The trick is to replace one ritual with another, and you can experiment until you find one that works best for you.