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Toxins in Your Kitchen

I would argue that the kitchen is the most important room of the house. It is where you are nourished, physically, and many times, figuratively. It is often the hub of the family. Highly trafficked and with no television in the background, it’s a room of connection. I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve gone to a friend’s home and we all hung out in the kitchen!

It’s also the one room in the house that’s a toxin dumping ground.

It sounds grim, I know. But, let me explain (and then we’ll explore what to do about it) …

Kitchens contain our fresh food, our drinking water, our packaged goods, our utensils, our cleansers, our dishware, our appliances. Toxins, unfortunately, lurk in all of them. 

Let’s take a deeper dive into food. After all, it’s the one constant day in and day out. You simply can’t live without it. 

Did you know that an estimated 3,000 chemicals that have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) are present in the food you eat? The food industry is able to keep information about these chemicals secret by taking advantage of a loophole in the law that allows processed food companies to decide which chemicals are safe to use. This loophole is called the “Generally Recognized as Safe” (GRAS) system, which was enacted in 1958 and has not been amended. Ninety-nine percent (yes, 99%) of all food chemicals introduced since 2000 were greenlighted for use by the food and chemical industry, through this loophole.

Here’s an interesting illustration of this problem.  Here is a list of ingredients and foods that are banned in other countries. Check out these categories:

Chemicals applied directly to produce and animals that are banned in other countries: 

Arsenic – fed to chickens to promote weight gain.

Chlorine-washed food, cleaning foodborne bacteria and other contaminants off poultry, fruits or veggies.

Farmed salmon – fed synthetic astaxanthin, which is made from petrochemicals, to give the flesh an artificial pinkish-red color that we see in wild salmon.

Genetically Modified Foods (GMOs) – most soy, beets, corn, canola, cotton, and alfalfa in the United States (U.S.) are GMO, and many countries have banned or regulated them due to public safety concerns.

– Going hand-in-hand with GMOs (because they are used in very high doses on GMO crops) are Herbicides, Pesticides and Fungicides, which are widely used on crops in the U.S. to keep them free of bugs and diseases.  Of the 374 active chemicals authorized for agricultural use in the U.S. in 2016, the European Union (EU) banned 72 of them. Wow!

Glyphosate – the primary ingredient in the weedkiller Roundup, is one highly-publicized example of a chemical banned throughout the world. Glyphosate consumption is linked to cancer.  In fact, several people have won cases that alleged glyphosate caused their cancer. 

Atrazine – right behind glyphosate is the weed killer Atrazine. In the U.S., it is one of the most commonly reported contaminants in groundwater and public drinking water, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.  Atrazine is applied to a wide range of crops, including sugarcane, soy, sorghum, and corn. It is estimated that over 65% of corn crops are treated with Atrazine. 

rBGH or rBST growth hormones – common in the dairy industry, many countries have banned these compounds.  

Ractopamine – a feed additive banned in at least 160 countries, including China, Russia and several others across Europe – is not only harmful to human health but cruel to the animals it is fed to. It is estimated that 60-80% of American pigs are treated with Ractopamine. The FDA has linked ractopamine to nearly a quarter-million reported adverse events in pigs (more than half of those pigs were sickened or killed) — more than any other animal drug. These pigs became lame or unable to stand, started trembling, or suffered a host of other ailments. 

Food chemicals found as ingredients banned in other countries: 

Azodicarbonamide (ADA) – a carcinogen, used in baked goods as a bleaching agent. You’ll find it in bread products and snacks. You’ll also find it in yoga mats, flip flops and other plastics. It’s considered a chemical foaming agent. 

Potassium bromate – a possible carcinogen, used primarily in baked goods – think breads, tortillas, cookies.

Brominated vegetable oil (BV) – used in soda and sports drinks and banned in more than 100 countries. 

Carrageenan – a thickener and emulsifier, carrageenan is most commonly found in dairy items like yogurt, ice cream, and cheese, as well as processed meats. It  cannot be used in baby formulas in the EU.

Food dyes – the following are either banned or must come with a warning label: Yellow dyes No. 5 & 6; Red dye No. 40. There are studies that show a link between food dyes and Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD) in children.

Titanium dioxide – a coloring additive found in candy, baked goods, and other packaged foods.

Butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) and butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) – an additive used to prevent fats from going rancid and to preserve color, flavor and odor. They are added to breakfast cereals, butter, chewing gum and cosmetics. 

Propylparaben – an antimicrobial preservative used to extend shelf life. It is prevalent in many products including cakes, pastries, pie crusts, icing, jams, olives, pickles to name a few and is also found in moisturizers, shampoos, conditioners, cosmetics and shaving products. 

Chemicals used in food packaging banned in other countries: 

Bisphenol-A (BPA) – This hormone-disrupting compound is toxic to human reproduction. Exposure to BPA has been linked to early-onset puberty, Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS). It has possible effects on the brain and prostate gland of fetuses, infants and children; effects on children’s behavior and a possible link to increased blood pressure. It is commonly found in the lining of metal food cans, plastic food and drink containers, some water bottles, baby bottles, receipts from cash registers and dental sealants. Think BPA-Free plastic is the answer? Think again. The alternative has likely never been tested and plastics, in general, are proving to be a health problem, as you will see in the next two categories. 

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) – These chemicals are added to food packaging to make it resistant to oil and liquid. They are highly persistent, mobile, and toxic. PFAS have been linked to cancer, hormone disruption, liver and kidney toxicity, and harm to the immune system. They are found in non-stick cookware, grease-resistant food packaging like pizza boxes and take-out containers. They are also found in water-resistant fabrics and personal care products like dental floss and shampoo.

Phthalates – a group of chemicals used to make plastic products softer and more flexible. They are used in food packaging and food preparation. They are linked to reproduction problems, birth defects, cancer, miscarriage and diabetes. Name a food and it is likely that phthalates are present. 

These are just the chemicals banned in other companies. There are a host of other toxins found in our food, unfortunately. From other pesticides besides glyphosate and atrazine to mycotoxins such as ochratoxins, aflatoxins, zearalenone, fumonisins and trichothecenes to heavy metals, such as mercury, arsenic, barium, uranium, nickel, aluminum and cadmium.  But now that you have this information, you can start the process of cleaning up your world!

-– Read nutrition labels – Can you identify every ingredient? Another way to ascertain this is: Would your grandmother have each ingredient in her kitchen cabinet?

Avoid animal products such as milk or meat in which GMO foods were used to feed the animals. Organic or grass fed meat and milk is the best choice. Look for labels that explicitly say, “grass finished” or “100% grass fed.” The term “grass fed” can also include grains and soy.

Fiber is your friend! It helps bind toxins. 

Consume sulfur-rich cruciferous vegetables like Brussels sprouts, broccoli and cauliflower.  They are great for your detox system!

Avoid eating Genetically Modified (GMO) foods, which are directly contaminated with glyphosate, as well as other herbicides and pesticides

Consider water filters or a filtration system  that can remove or reduce pesticides and herbicides, including glyphosate from your drinking water. The more effective water filters are the “under the counter” models that use reverse osmosis

Don’t use glyphosate (Roundup) or other pesticides in your yard. And go organic as much as (financially) possible in the produce you buy!

Ready to turn your kitchen and your body into the sanctuary it deserves to be?

  • Day 1: What are toxins and how they are connected to your health
  • Day 2: Where in your past and in your daily life toxins are found
  • Day 3: What you can do about it using food as medicine, supplementation and minimizing exposure

Resources: 

https://www.pewtrusts.org/en/research-and-analysis/reports/2013/11/07/fixing-the-oversight-of-chemicals-added-to-our-food

https://www.ewg.org/news-insights/news/monsantos-gmo-herbicide-doubles-cancer-risk

https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/companies-markets/consumer-healthcare/quarter-pesticides-used-us-are-banned-eu

https://www.ewg.org/news-insights/news/monsantos-gmo-herbicide-doubles-cancer-risk

https://web.archive.org/web/20120316130312/https://www.epa.gov/teach/chem_summ/Atrazine_summary.pdf

https://www.livescience.com/47032-time-for-us-to-ban-ractopamine.html

https://www.verywellhealth.com/red-dye-40-adhd-5220957

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A Day In The Life….Of Your Toxic Exposures

By Darcy McConnell, MD

We come into contact with thousands of chemicals each day.  Luckily, we are equipped to handle toxic exposure – our liver metabolizes and removes these harmful substances the best that it can and we go about our business. Unfortunately, sometimes the burden of toxicity becomes overwhelming to the body, and causes us to suffer a multitude of ailments from fatigue and brain fog to autoimmune disease and cancer.

Though it is impossible to avoid exposure altogether, it is not difficult to reduce our body’s burden of toxins with some simple steps.  Let’s take a look at where these toxic exposures are hiding in our everyday life so we can address them and make some simple changes.

A day in the life … of your toxic exposure.  Where you might be accumulating toxins without even being aware of it:

You wake up after sleeping for hours on a mattress that may be exposing you to hundreds of harmful chemicals, and walk across a carpet that has flame retardants and VOCs seeping from it.  The cleaning products used in your home are full of toxins that remain in the air you breathe and on surfaces you touch.

  • You start your day brushing your teeth and showering with water that may be contaminated with chlorine, heavy metals, and other toxic compounds. 
  • You use personal care products that contain endocrine disruptors, harmful chemicals that alter hormones, and other dangerous substances like aluminum, phthalates, propylene glycol, and all kinds of colorings and fragrances.   
  • Into the kitchen for breakfast, and you prepare and eat food that is tainted with chemicals and additives.  Pesticides, antibiotics and hormone residues lurk in conventional produce, meats, and dairy; heavy metals and PCBs contaminate our fish supply.  BPA and phthalates leach from plastics in food packaging and bottles.
  • You get dressed, and the clothing you wear may have toxins from dry cleaning chemicals, flame retardants and synthetic plastics that are breathed in and absorbed through the skin.

It’s scary, you haven’t even left the house yet and you’ve been exposed to so many disruptive chemicals!

But we should not despair, though the research and evidence of harm is damning.  We have a choice to make the less toxic purchase every time we buy food, cleaning products, cosmetics, clothing, or furniture.

Come learn how to detoxify your environment and find guidance on how to make clean, healthy choices for decreasing your everyday toxic exposure.  Join me for my free talk on Monday April 18th at 6pm! 

Photo Credit: Household Chemical Cleaners 

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What Role Do Genetics Play In Your Health?

by Elizabeth Greig, FNP

Several times a week, I see someone at Blum Center who has multiple autoimmune conditions or cancer or both and has had a moderate to high level of toxicant (toxin) exposures.  For example, they may have lived on or near a farm with an apple orchard and drank well water growing up in the 60s, they spray their apartment weekly or monthly with roach-killer, they play golf regularly, or they’ve taken many prescription drugs over many years.  All of these toxicants can be removed by the detoxification pathways in the body, particularly those found in the liver.  The efficiency of this process is determined in part by your genes.

How much effect – or risk – a particular gene, or group of genes, has on your health or illness is determined in part by your environment, such as food, chemicals, stress, and infections, as well as by interaction with other genes.  The part that environment plays is the part you have some control over.

For example, if you have a genetic tendency to diabetes, you can control your intake of sugar, sweets and starchy vegetables and be sure to exercise and thus reduce the likelihood that you will become diabetic.  This effect that lifestyle has on your genes to turn them on or off or modulate their expression is called “epigenetics.”  So, rather than:

Genes = Destiny

The answer is determined by epigenetics:

Genes + Lifestyle + Environment = Destiny

Some people have a collection of genetic mutations in their detoxification pathways that decreases their ability to rid the body of these toxicants and can increase the risk that those toxicants will cause problems.  The toxicants stay in circulation longer because they aren’t being removed efficiently. Then they can have a prolonged suppressing or damaging effect on the immune system and other systems that maintain the body’s health.  With genetic testing, we can identify some of these mutations and then make recommendations about foods, supplements and lifestyle changes that can help you decrease those toxic effects, helping you to heal and stay healthy.

Come find out more about some simple genetic testing you can do, learn about epigenetics, and discuss lifestyle, nutrition and supplement changes you can make to help you express your best destiny! 

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What is Kitchari?

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Kitchari is an ancient Ayurvedic meal consisting of Mung beans and rice cooked into porridge. Kitchari (kitch-ah-ree) literally means mess – referring to this warm, delicious, satisfying (not messy!) porridge.

The Ayurvedic culture discovered the magic of the Mung bean; they do not cause gas; they are anti-inflammatory; and they are hypo-allergenic.

As a cleanse, kitchari is eaten for 7 days – breakfast, lunch and dinner as a mono diet, meaning eating one food. This limits the diversity of food which helps decrease inflammation while supporting digestive enzymes and the entire process of digestion.

At Blum Center for Health we perform the Kitchari Cleanse once a year, during the winter months.  We  find this cleanse both nourishing, healing and weight reducing. Typically, a pound a day is lost with ease.

Kitchari is comfort food, warming and nourishing for this time of year.

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Why We Care About Kale

Kale is one of the most nutrient dense leafy greens you can eat. From a nutrition perspective, it’s the vegetable that will give you the most bang for your bite.

It Helps The Digestive System: Kale is loaded with fiber that aids in elimination. This process helps flush waste and toxins from the body.

Calcium & Iron: Who says you need to drink dairy to get your daily calcium? Or eat meat to get your iron? The calcium in kale will help keep your bones strong, and the iron will support energy and strength.

Vitamin Packed: Just one cup of kale contains 134% of your daily Vitamin C, 684% of Vitamin K, and 204% of Vitamin A needs!

Antioxidants: Kale contains many antioxidants including carotenoids, flavonoids, and phytonutrients called thiols. Antioxidants are the antidote to the environmental stressors and exposures of every day life.

Kale Is The Ultimate Detoxifier: All of these antioxidants and vitamins work to lower inflammation and protect the body from disease. Much of this activity happens in the liver. Kale provides these powerful nutrients to help your liver do it’s job: clear out toxins.

Celebrate National Kale Day with us on October 7th by making a simple kale salad, adding kale to your smoothie.

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The Benefits of a Summer Detox

Fall and spring may be the most talked about time to detox because they are seasons of transition, but the summer months – filled with busy social calendars and beach vacations – is also a beneficial time to cleanse.  Consider a summer detox a way to reboot and reverse the dinners al fresco, crisp rosé, and trips to the ice cream parlor.

Take a Break from the BBQ’s

Summer is a social season.  Practically every weekend is booked by the time July hits with parties, bbq’s, vacations and holidays. We don’t believe in deprivation and advise our patients to indulge occasionally, but in-between events, our bodies need a break from the sugar, alcohol, and carbs, so the liver can detoxify.  Liver function is a key component to reducing inflammation and is essential to our health.

Detox for More Energy

Hot summer days coupled with poor food choices can make the body feel overtired and sluggish.  It may sound counterintuitive, but detoxing can actually increase your energy so you can enjoy those long summer nights.  By removing foods that slow you down like sugars and processed flours, and adding vital nutrients like greens, herbs, and proteins, energy will increase naturally – you may even have a better nights sleep!

Beat the Bloat and Lose Weight

Water retention, slow digestion, and salty, processed foods contribute to public enemy number one in the summer: bloating.  Feed your body with nutritious vegetables, fruits, and herbs during a detox and you’ll naturally see a decrease in water retention and stomach bloat.  Because let’s face it, it’s full on bathing suit season.

Make it Easy on Yourself

A lot of the times fitness routines and diets ramp up in spring only to lose steam come the end of June. Recharge your body and eliminate unhealthy eating patterns with a detox program that is easy to follow and will set you up for success!

Looking for something even easier?  Organic Pharmer has foods that are detox approved for grab and go ease to take with you to the beach, pools, and parties!

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The Food-Mood Connection

Food and Mood

mary-gocke_fullI believe diets make people very unhappy.  They don’t work long term because every one of us is different and requires an individual food plan. When you try and fit the mold of a restrictive diet, you live within the confines of your new program instead of exploring the freedom of foods that make you feel better.

All of our nutrition programs, whether through testing or food experiments, are designed to help you figure out what makes your body work well and feel well, which is a key step on the path to overall happiness. Our 21-day elimination food plan is brilliant at helping you discover how food actually makes you feel.  Removing all allergenic foods for 21 days and then adding them back individually is a great way to experience this body-mood-food connection.  These food reactions can be very insidious at first, but with care and mindfulness you can discover, for example, that dairy can give you brain fog, or that eggs make you gain 2 pounds.  I have found that sugar can feed depression, and that for some people, taking it out of the diet is the best happiness cure there is!

 

 

Choosing the right foods for your body can tap your highest potential. While I know that finding your true north food plan is a process, it is important to me when I work with you to bring you into your own power of healing – and happiness — by finding the foods that work for your body and then staying the course.  Join me on May 11th for our 21-Day Group Detox and discover the foods that make you happy! Check out our class calendar to learn more about our cooking class dates and times.

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ZocDoc: What Doctors Need to Know About Detox

Dr. Susan Blum shares with ZocDoc what fellow doctors need to know about detox, and how they can help their patients make informed decisions in the market.

“As doctors we need to be in a position to help patients sort the science from the salesmanship.”

Read the full article here: www.thedoctorblog.com.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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MindBodyGreen: Can You Get Sick From Gluten Even If You Don’t Have Celiac Disease?

Find out what exactly is Celiac Disease, and why you can get sick from gluten even if you aren’t diagnosed.

“Turns out that gluten can trigger other immune reactions and symptoms without any damage to the small intestine, thus you can test negative for celiac, but still be gluten intolerant.”

Read more to find out what you can do at home to detox, here: www.mindbodygreen.com.