It is a well known fact that we are living in a toxic world. What can we do about it? I talked about reducing exposure to pollutants but what can assist in pulling out toxins from the body? One can’t be ignorant of the dangers lurking in our environment but one also has to be proactive yet not dwell on the negative side of what has gone on before. Each of us is waking up to our own personal responsibility and what we can do as individuals and what we can do as a group. I am going to tell you what food factors support your ability to detoxify and which ones are particularly powerful to ingest.
Green tea can help with the excretion of fat stored toxins; it assists the liver in its mission to clear toxins from the blood helping to lower rates of many different types of cancers along the way. The polyphenols in green tea can pass through the blood-brain barrier and serve as antioxidants to neurons, protecting them from oxidative stress. Other teas assisting with detoxification including rooibos tea which increases glutathione levels in the liver and nettle tea which is high in minerals and alkalinizing at the same time. Matcha tea is very high in antioxidants; just look at how bright and vibrant the color is; it can help great rid of PCB’s. I grew up drinking tea and rarely will you catch me on day where I am not drinking tea. Consuming herbal teas increases your intake of water which helps flush toxins out of your body.

As far as foods that assist with detoxification, the brassica family leads the way. I recommend eating a serving of brassica family daily in the form of broccoli, kale, cabbage, cauliflower, brussels sprouts, arugula, horseradish, kai-lan (chinese broccoli), turnips, or rutabaga daily if possible. These foods have potent detoxification ability, helping usher pesticides and solvents out of your body. Broccoli sprouts are even more potent so include some in your diet. I advocate making green smoothies to boost your antioxidant levels. You can put broccoli sprouts in your green smoothie to up the antioxidant punch. Many other foods help your body detoxify including brown rice (PCB’s), seaweeds (radiation), miso soup(radiation), onions, garlic, cilantro(metals), turmeric, berries and apples just to name a few.

Our diets give us all the substances we need in order to live in balance with so many pollutants. The trick is to eat a wide variety of colors and indulge frequently. Nine servings of vegetables and fruit (more heavy on the veggies than fruit) is recommended. When you start to feed your body’s cells with the nutrients it requires you will feel energized, you will think more clearly and will be more centered emotionally speaking. Change your diet and you will change your life!

In today’s toxic world where we are exposed to thousands of chemicals in our air, food and water, the need for detoxification is higher than ever. Rates of chronic disease, cancer, autoimmune disease and heart disease/high blood pressure are commonplace; chances are you have a close friend, coworker or family member who is dealing with a disease. Our chronic toxic exposure puts us at risk so it is prudent to be vigilant about such matters. We all have toxic chemicals in our body.The average person contains 91 toxic chemicals (this was an American study but we can ‘guesstimate’ that Canadians would have similar profiles). Chemicals that cannot be properly disposed of in the body are stored in our fat because the body does not know how else to deal with them. Some of the channels for toxic elimination include the liver, kidneys, bowel, lungs, and skin. The body needs to be able to convert the toxin into a form that is capable of being excreted. Various food substances can help with this and I will name them later in my blog. First of all we need to reduce entry into the body in the first place.

Reducing toxic substances coming into the body requires vigilance. Start with your household exposure – household cleaning supplies carry many different carcinogens and are likely your biggest exposure around your home. Switch to eco friendly cleaners which are safe for your home and body. I use shaklee cleaners (shaklee.com) and no, I don’t sell them. They are cost effective and work well to get your house clean. Leave your shoes at the door when you step in your house. Tracking debris through your house will up your exposure to chemicals, doubly so if you work on a farm or work in an environment where you are exposed to chemicals (chemical plants, mechanics, hairdressers, office workers, etc). Toss air fresheners that are marketed on tv and magazines and instead fill a container with water and add drops of essential oil like lavender or sage to scent your air safely. Sensitive to people? Bathe in a bath of 1/2 cup sea salt, 1/2 cup baking soda and a few drops of your favorite essential oil. This will clear your energy field of residue from your day.

Buy organic produce especially when you buy the dirty dozen> spinach, kale, peaches, peppers, apples, lettuce, carrots, celery, cherries, grapes, pears, nectarines, and strawberries. These are the highest in pesticides (the average peach contains 32 pesticide residues). If nothing else, decide to purchase these vegetables only if organic. The cleanest nonorganic produce (lowest in pesticides) are asparagus, onions, avocados, cabbage, eggplant, kiwi, mango, papaya, pineapple, sweet corn, sweet peas, and watermelon. These are the safest produce to buy if you are considered about the cost. They should still be washed though. Use a vegetable peeler to peel the skin off of fruits and vegetables. A pesticide wash solution you can use is > 1 cup water, 1 cup white vinegar, 1 tbsp baking soda and 1/2 lemon (juice). Mix together and put in a spray bottle. Spray it on your produce and let it sit for 5 minutes before rinsing off with water. Use an acid wash on apples, celery and bell peppers. Fill a large container with water, add a cup of vinegar and let soak for 30 minutes; then scrub with a vegetable brush. Soak grapes and cherries for one hour.

Avoid farmed salmon which contain PCB’s, dioxins and other chlorinated contaminants at all costs and buy wild salmon instead. Avoid tuna, swordfish, shark, lobster, halibut, bass, snapper, orange roughy, and mackerel which are high in mercury. For more information on toxins in fish and our food supply in general, check out Clean, Green & Lean by Dr. Walter Crinnion. To be continued…

Chronic inflammation is at the basis of many health problems and has been linked to diseases including cancer, heart disease and alzheimer’s. Inflammation is the body’s first line of defense against a multitude of harmful invaders including unwanted bacteria, viruses and other harmful pathogens. If the inflammatory reaction becomes chronic and does not switch off, it becomes a problem. There are many factors that can contribute to inflammation and many factors that can reduce it. First of all, pay attention to the fats you are using. Stay away from all hydrogenated oils and trans fats. Use extra virgin olive oil to cook but only at reduced temperatures or drizzle on food once it is cooked. You could also use organic expeller pressed canola, o.e.p. sunflower or o.e.p. safflower oils. Reduce your saturated fat intake by cutting out whole fat sources of dairy products. Cheese is a big source of saturated fat so choose skim sources of cheese or low fat alternatives. Try dairy substitutes like rice and almond milk to reduce fat content if you experience sinus congestion on a regular basis which may red flag a dairy allergy. Many brands of rice milk are fortified to make them a reasonable alternative to milk. Avoid red meat and all processed meats (read luncheon meats with nitrates). Avoid pork and bacon. Free range grass- fed bison is an alternative to store bought ground beef. If you have a high degree of inflammation in your body, I would limit red meat including bison to 2 servings a week max. Avoid sugar which is very proinflammatory. Reduce flour consumption and consume whole grains such as brown rice, whole oats, buckwheat, and quinoa. Aim for 40 grams of fiber daily. Avoid alcohol to reduce inflammation. Red wine has health benefits but if you have inflammation avoid it. Cut out all fast foods.

You need to flood your body with healthy nutritious rich food. So what do you focus on? Start with an abundant source of fruits and veggies. Choose to eat three veggies to one fruit. Because fruit is high in sugar in high amounts in can lead to higher insulin levels which is more proinflammatory in the long run. Green veggies are phenomenal at reducing inflammation and this is why I recommend blending up green drinks daily. Vegetables like carrots, beets, and white potatoes should be eaten in lesser amounts due to their high glycemic index. Make sure to eat them with a source of protein like nuts or beans which have healthy fats to help stabilize blood sugar. Choose soybeans versus processed forms of soy or fermented forms of soy such as miso or tempeh. Choose raw nuts such as almonds, walnuts, sunflower seeds and sesame seeds which can help reduce inflammation. Fish is not always a good choice for your health because of the amount of toxins in our oceans. If you eat fish, choose wild salmon versus farmed. Black cod is okay as are sardines packed in water or olive oil and herring.  Consuming 2000 mg of a molecularly distilled high quality fish oil with food is a great way to get the antiinflammatory benefits of fish minus the toxicity. A high quality fish oil will have antioxidants added such as some form of Vitamin E to preserve the stability of the oil. Consume avocado, ground hemp or flax seeds for vegetarian sources of healthy fat. Drink 6 – 8 cups of filtered water daily to flush out toxins. Consuming tea such as oolong, green or white tea gives you additional inflammation reducing benefits as does eating one dark square of chocolate daily (cocoa content 70% +).   

Lastly, stress is a big source of inflammation in the body and possibly the greatest source of inflammation. My in house treatment of choice for reducing stress is emotional freedom technique. 30 – 60 minutes of exercise daily and learning how to breathe (20 deep breaths daily is a start) will help to reduce stress. Take time out of your day to have some fun! Make time to do things that you love and make time for the people that you love!