Stink Movie

Chemical Poisoning: Watch the movie Stink

I know there are a lot of chemicals in the average American household.  Formaldehyde is in new clothes and new furniture. Petroleum is in baby oil and body lotions, Dry cleaning is a toxic gas that can get on all clothes in the closet, not just the ones you get dry cleaned. Perfumes are chemicals as well but did you know that it could be the same chemicals that are in your toilet bowl cleaner?  The movie Stink (on Netflix or for purchase on iTunes) was really eye-opening that way.  I knew we were living in a toxic world but I didn't know how toxic until I saw this documentary done by Jon Whelan. Jon could smell the toxins coming from his kids pjs so he called up the company and after being told it was classified information and he couldn't know what they were putting in the pjs he knew he had a story to uncover.

I am aware of how many chemicals can be carcinogenic but I assumed the science just hasn't caught up with the manufacturing companies so when I watched the movie I was surprised that the companies were also aware that they are putting carcinogenics into their products.  They know they are killing people and they don't change it. Many times these cancer causing chemicals are labeled under the word 'fragrance'.  I assumed that if companies had the awareness that things would change but that won't work.  The only thing left is to raise the consumers awareness of it so the consumers buy something else and this movie does a great job of making us aware.
If you think you have been using toxic products in your house and want to detox heavy chemicals let me know at your next visit and even bring in a few products if you want to test the products directly with your body to see what harm they may be doing.   

Fluoride Poisoning

What to do About Fluoride Poisoning

You're exposed to fluoride if you taking prescription drugs like Prozac, swim in pools, or sit in hot tubs.  It's in conventional produce like lettuce, and commercial bread and bakery products.  It may be in beverages like iced tea, wine, and beer made with city or town water, or in infant formula.  And of course it's in toothpaste.  It may even sneak into your food from Teflon coated pots and pans. 

Fluoride is a neurotoxin that collects in the brain and spine, increasing the risk of death. Fluoride also calcifies the pineal gland and hardens the arteries.  Fluoride toxicity can also increase the risk of hypothyroidism, reduce infertility, and cause debilitating bone disease. So what can we do about it?

The first thing is to make sure your toothpaste doesn't have fluoride in it.  Toothpaste ingredients will not be found on the tube but on the box when you first bought the toothpaste so it is best to check online for your toothpaste ingredients.

Step two is to filter your water if it isn't well water or drink bottled water.  Brita, Pur and other common filters will NOT remove fluoride.  Reverse osmosis water filters are the best for filtering out fluoride along with chlorine and heavy metals but they also take out trace minerals so be sure to replace with mineral drops or a trace mineral tablet.

If you think you may have fluoride toxicity taking iodine and/or tamarind can help. A study that was published in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition showed that it can remove risky fluoride deposits from your bones. In the study, researchers discovered that healthy boys who consumed a third of an ounce of the fruit for just 18 days noted significant enhancements in their urinary excretion of fluoride. In another study, boys who were given tamarind to eat for just three weeks noted additional fluoride excretion compared to a control group.

However, tamarind also provides another incredibly useful benefit: It can prevent and alleviate chronic diseases. Tamarind seed extract has been shown to target and kill inflammatory chemicals like interleukin, reducing joint pain, swelling and inflammation. This makes it quite useful or those who suffer from osteoarthritis.

In addition, its rich vitamin C content means it can boost immunity and help detoxify. It’s a good source of potassium, supporting healthy blood pressure, and it also helps prevent heart disease by removing excess LDL cholesterol from the veins and arteries in the body. It also promotes circulation and normalizes the levels of triglycerides in the blood. In addition, it boasts a significant iron content, helping to ward off anemia.

It’s important to note, however, that tamarind can thin your blood, so be careful if you take aspirin or other blood-thinning medications.

According to the Fluoride Action Network, many children now exceed the recommended daily fluoride intake just by using toothpaste. More than 50 studies have linked fluoride to lower IQ in children. If you are worried about fluoride exposure for you and your loved ones, tamarind or iodine could prove to be an essential part of your diet or supplement regiment.  To know for sure it's best to get muscle tested to see specifically what nutrition your body needs.  With the right nutrition the body can detox and heal naturally.

How to Juice

Juicing 101

Juicing is generally used for two different purposes:

• For cleansing or detox: Solid food is eliminated and only juice is consumed as a way to cleanse your body of toxins. Juice cleanses range from 3 days to several weeks in length. Depending on what the goal is I usually only suggest 3-5 days.
• To supplement a normal diet: Fresh juice can be used as a handy supplement to your daily diet, increasing vitamins and minerals intake from fruits and vegetables that you wouldn't otherwise consume. To learn more on supplementing your diet  with celery juice read here. These are two common types of juicers: 
• Centrifugal juicers: These juicers grind fruits and vegetables into pulp through a high-speed spinning action.
• Cold-press juicers: Also called masticating juicers, these crush and press fruits and vegetables much more slowly to get as much juice as possible.
• Cold-press juicers don't produce heat, so they do not cause the breakdown of beneficial enzymes and nutrients that is thought to happen with centrifugal juicers.

I love the following Juicers:
1. Champion
2. Breville's
3. Omega

1. 
   
   If you have thyroid issues,consider blanching kale, Swiss chard or spinach before juicing or simply exchange it for romaine lettuce, celery, or mixed greens in any green drink.
2. If you have been eating a diet rich in sugar, processed food and dairy, then I suggest cleansing your body for a few days and incorporating more vegetables, raw foods, fruits, soups, and reduce the processed foods before you begin your juice cleanse.
   
   When buying your fruit and veggies I do suggest going out of your way to buy only organic.  It would be a shame to do all this hard work of juicing while putting toxins in your body from pesticides. 
   In general, the following "Dirty Dozen Plus" from the Environmental Working Group (EWG) had the highest pesticide load, making them the most important to buy organic:

• Apples
• Strawberries
• Grapes
• Celery
• Peaches
• Spinach
• Sweet bell peppers
• Nectarines (imported)
• Cucumbers
• Cherry tomatoes
• Snap peas (imported)
• Potatoes
  
  Plus these, which may contain organophosphate insecticides, which EWG characterizes as "highly toxic" and of special concern:
  
  
• Hot peppers
• Blueberries (domestic)
  
  Also, be sure to start drinking at least 100 ounces of water 2-3 days prior to cleansing to begin flushing toxins from the body. Increase your water intake to at least one gallon per day during your detox. For extra hydration, particularly if you feel lightheaded, you can, in between juices make and drink a natural Gatorade by adding 1/4 teaspoon of sea salt, 1 tablespoon of honey, and the juice of one lemon to 30 ounces of water.
  Note: If you have candida overgrowth, diabetes, or sugar imbalances, then I encourage you to stick with green juices and not do the fruit juices. Green juice is very powerful for alkalizing the body, and by only juicing greens you are consuming low glycemic juice.
  
  For everyone juicing I suggest juicing 80% vegetables, 20% fruits to keep the fruit sugar low because too much fruit sugar can overwhelm your body and not give you the healthy results you want from a juice cleanse.
  
  It's best to use glass jars to drink and store your juice. This keeps the juice fresh and allows you to avoid leaching (which can occur when using plastic). You can even bring your own glass jars to the store as it's less waste and no leaching! I also recommend stainless steel straws, which you can buy on Amazon. Keep some in your bag or at work—it will also save on waste.
  If you like these tips and want learn more about the health benefits of juicing and detoxing come to this Saturday's workshop on Spring Detox. 

Drinking Olive Oil for Dessert

Drinking Olive Oil for Dessert

Sometimes I recommend drinking a tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil with a squeeze of lemon juice after dinner to help the liver detox the daily toxins that built up in the system.  The liver does the majority of its detox work at 11pm-1am.  With the olive oil in your body at that time it helps the liver move the toxins through the gallbladder duct to the large intestine to then be eliminated.

Combining olive oil with lemon helps maintain lubricant for digestive mucus so not only does it help in moving toxins but also helps rid the body of constipation.  The discomfort from the body being toxified can lead to discomfort, and there’s no better cure for that than taking a quick drink of olive oil after dinner. The body has subtle ways of signaling that it is in need of a detox. Signs of this include headaches, slower digestion, and dry mouth. 
Olive oil is another great tool for taking care of the skin and hair. Taking a small drink of olive oil is known to help boost hair growth. The vitamin D and vitamin E contents found in olive oil can help moisturize dry skin. While helping improve the skin cosmetically, it can also help prevent skin cancer. The antioxidant properties of olive oil counter the oxidation of rays from the sun. Studies show that in the Mediterranean region where drinking olive oil is common, only three in every 100,000 residents there get skin cancer.

The idea of consuming olive oil this way comes from the Mediterranean diet, which, despite its share of naysayers, has been found to be effective. Olive oil has an acid called oleic acid, which gives the feeling of fullness and promotes the feeling of satiety.

According to various studies, drinking extra virgin olive oil may prevent the formation of free radicals in the body, and reduce the incidence of colon cancer. This is because olive oil is full of antioxidants.
So now you know! All you need to do, to make the most of this amazing night tonic, is to take the juice of a ripe lemon and add it to a tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil, and drink it up! The better the quality of olive oil, the more beneficial this "dessert" will be for you.