Tips For A Spring Cleanse

One of the best strategies we can use to support our health and prevent disease is to take time every year for a naturopathic detox, or cleanse.  The main goals are to eat foods that have healing and restorative properties, while encouraging the elimination of waste products from the body.  Switching to a healing diet, while eliminating stored toxins is a great way to reinvigorate the body, decrease inflammation, slow down the aging process, and regulate immune function. 

Outlined below are some guidelines on why we need to periodically cleanse our systems, what types of health conditions may improve from a cleanse, and tips for supporting the elimination of toxins throughout the year.

WHAT CHEMICALS ARE WE REGULARLY EXPOSED TO?

• Chlorine in water, medications, herbicides and pesticides on food, parabens in skin care products that can mimic and disrupt hormones, fuel from gasoline and planes which are also hormone disruptors, flame retardants on furniture, mattresses, or clothes, and airborne pollutants.

• Heavy metals are prevalent in our environment can affect the brain and neurological system.  Seventy-five percent of heavy metals in the body are stored in fat cells, which is concerning since the brain is approximately 65% fat.

WHY DO WE NEED TO TAKE TIME TO “DETOX”? AREN’T OUR BODIES DESIGNED TO ELIMINATE TOXINS?

• Our bodies are naturally equipped to eliminate toxins and chemicals because they’re not something we can use for growth, repair, or nourishment, however, we are living in an age when we have simply not evolved to be able process the load of toxins that we’re currently exposed to.  The food industry, pharmaceutical industry, farming industry, and fashion industry, are all sources of chemicals that we are regularly exposed to.  Even town and city water supplies are known to contain traces of many prescription drugs.

• Not every toxin we’re exposed to is automatically eliminated from our bodies.  If our organs of elimination are overwhelmed or not functioning well, we start storing chemicals in our fat cells, internal organs, brains and nervous systems.

• Having a higher toxic load can contribute to skin problems, weight gain, hormonal system imbalances, and low energy.

• A higher toxic load can contribute to inflammation, which in turn may promote both pain (joint pain, headaches, digestive cramping) and tissue damage.

• Toxins disrupt our microbiome: Many chemicals can disturb the equilibrium of our bacterial ecosystem, which in turn influences immune, hormonal, and cognitive function.

SYMPTOMS THAT MAY IMPROVE WITH A DETOX:

• Headaches, fatigue, digestive system complaints, sinus problems, skin conditions, difficult menstrual cycles, fatty liver, arthritis, energy, sleep, and frequent colds and flus. 

• The benefits are numerous, and it’s not as tricky or restrictive as you may think!  Even making a few simple changes in your eating patterns can have profound effects on your health.

• Other benefits of doing a cleanse include breaking unhealthy habits, and trying new foods and recipes.

SUPPORTIVE SUPPLEMENTS:

• It is important to determine which systems in your body need a bit of extra attention and support.  Naturopathic treatments are prescribed on an individual basis to support organs such as the skin, digestive system, lungs, kidneys, and liver, to maximize healing, and to facilitate the elimination of stored toxins.

WORKING WITH A HEALTHCARE PROVIDER

• One of the main principles of naturopathic medicine is to treat the individual, meaning that no single treatment plan is appropriate for everyone.  People react differently to cleanses, and even eliminating caffeine can lead to withdrawal symptoms such as headaches, fatigue, anxiety, and nausea, as listed in the DSM-5. 

• Working with a healthcare professional such as an ND can help you to navigate and avoid some of the symptoms of detoxification that may arise, and to help ensure that you are meeting goals unique to your age and current state of health.

WAYS TO GENTLY SUPPORT DETOXIFICATION THROUGHOUT THE YEAR:

• Hydration: Maintaining healthy hydration can help to reduce inflammation, support bowel regulatory, and ensure that toxins are moving through the kidneys. Aim to consume the equivalent of half of your body weight (pounds) in ounces of water/day.

• Reduce exposure to toxins: Try to be conscious about consuming foods that your body will need to recover from. Deep fried foods, alcohol, sugar, and processed foods should all be kept to a minimum. Start reading ingredients on packaged foods in the grocery store and as a general rule, avoid those that are factory-made, such as preservatives, flavour enhancers, and artificial colouring agents. The more natural ingredients, the better!

• Support liver function with herbal infusions, such as dandelion tea.  Dandelion is a gentle and nutritious herb to help stimulate bile flow and protect the liver cells.

• Daily movement: Aim to move your body for at least 15 minutes/day. Even moderately paced walking and gentle stretching can help to encourage blood flow through the liver and kidneys, and stimulate the lymphatic system.

• Nutrition: Focus on a non-processed, whole foods diet packed with vitamins, minerals, and fibre.  This includes brightly coloured fruits and vegetables, whole grains such as brown rice and quinoa, and easy to digest proteins such as organic chicken, fish, beans, and lentils.  For extra cleansing power, choose foods including broccoli and cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, red and green cabbage, radishes, kale and turnip.  These cruciferous vegetables contain detoxifying compounds such as sulforaphane and diindolylmethane, which help to support the liver in eliminating toxins and excess hormones.

• Bitter and sour foods: as humans, we have bitter receptors on all of our organs of detoxification, which when activated, help to stimulate elimination of waste products. In traditional Chinese medicine, it is recommended that a healthy, balanced diet should include the 5 tastes of bitter, sour, sweet, salty, and spicy/pungent. All 5 tastes have important roles in stimulating different functions in the body. Typically the full spectrum of flavours is underrepresented in a more bland, sweet, and salty North American diet. By consuming bitter and sour foods and drinks, we help to stimulate the liver, pancreas, and gastrointestinal tract, helping to regulate blood sugar and encourage the removal of toxins from the body. Try starting each day with a large cup of warm water with the juice of half a lemon. Another great strategy is to have a teaspoon of organic apple cider vinegar before meals.

To get started on an individualized spring detox plan, including healthy recipe suggestions, supplement recommendations, and strategies to work towards your long-term health goals, please contact me to book an appointment.  Virtual appointments are also available to Ontario residents. 

Increasing Your Iron Levels Naturally

Iron deficiency is one of the most commonly underdiagnosed conditions that I see in my practice, especially in women.  Low iron can lead to a multitude of symptoms, and it can often be a challenge to maintain healthy levels of this nutritionally critical mineral.  The following looks at how to identify whether you may be iron deficient, why some people become more deficient than others, and how to increase your iron stores naturally.

Iron deficiency can manifest in a variety of symptoms.  Common indicators include:

·     Fatigue

·     Weakness

·     Headaches

·     Hair loss

·     Brittle nails

·     Pale skin

·     Restless leg syndrome

·     Reduced resistance to infections

·     Cracks at the corners of the mouth

·     Feeling cold

·     Pale skin

·     Hormonal imbalance (iron helps to optimize thyroid function)

Identifying Deficiency Through Lab Testing

Routine blood work usually looks at the complete blood count as an initial screening tool to assess for anemia risk, however the best test to evaluate iron deficiency is serum ferritin, an iron storage protein that represent your body’s iron reserves.  A ferritin score of under 45ng/mL is suggestive of anemia, and with low ferritin levels, you may have symptoms of iron deficiency anemia even if your hemoglobin levels and red blood cells are normal.

Building and Maintaining Healthy Iron Levels

How can you start to build your iron reserves and keep them up?  My top three approaches are to identify and treat the cause, increase consumption through diet and/or supplements, and work on enhancing absorption.

Common Causes of Iron Deficiency

·     Blood loss: During the childbearing years, iron requirements for women are about 80% higher than for men, primarily due to blood loss through menstruation.  Other causes of blood loss include ulcers, uterine fibroids, and gastrointestinal tract bleeding which may or may not be visible (this is often identified through fecal occult blood testing).

·     Increased Need for Iron: During pregnancy, a significant increase in blood volume creates a greater demand for iron.  I always like to assess women’s iron levels before they become pregnant, and to work on maintaining healthy iron stores throughout pregnancy, especially during the third trimester.

·     Diet: Vegetarian and vegan diets often contain less iron, especially the more absorbable and bioavailable “heme” form of iron.

·     Compromised Digestion: Poor digestive function and the use of antacids can significantly compromise iron absorption in the small intestine.  Health conditions affecting intestinal absorption, such as Crohn’s disease and celiac disease also impair iron absorption.

·     Chronic infections: Microbial biolfilms can affect mineral balance in the body, with evidence that some forms of bacteria use iron as a fuel source.  It is essential to treat chronic infections and support a healthy microbiome in order to achieve healthy iron levels.

Boosting iron Consumption: 

·     Supplements: If your ferritin levels are low enough that you are starting to show physical signs of iron deficiency, often dietary changes are not enough to provide you with a therapeutic dosage of iron. Iron supplements are notorious for having poor absorption and often contributing to nausea and constipation. Iron should ideally be bound to a protein or carbohydrate molecule for optimal absorption, which is why trying to digest the majority of iron supplements is like trying to digest a rock. 

·     Increasing your consumption of iron rich foods: Make sure you are having a minimum of 2-3 servings of iron-rich foods/day, including red meat, chicken, seafood, seaweed, beans, lentils, and dark leafy greens (see below on how to prepare).

·     Herbal infusions: Making teas (hot or iced) out of iron-rich herbs is a great way to add bioavailable minerals to your diet.  Nettle, red raspberry leaf, and dandelion are all excellent sources of iron. Herbs should ideally be left to infuse overnight.  I use loose leaf herbs and leave them infusing overnight in the fridge.

Enhancing Iron Absorption Naturally

·     Support healthy levels of stomach acid: Iron is best absorbed in a more acidic stomach environment.  Try taking a teaspoon of apple cider vinegar before meals, or taking your vitamin C (ascorbic acid) supplement with iron-rich foods to enhance absorption naturally.  Adding acidic dressings containing lemon or vinegar to iron-rich foods also supports iron absorption.

·     Cook Your Greens: Although dark leafy greens are a great source of iron, steaming or cooking greens is essential for breaking down the plant cell walls to render the minerals more absorbable.  Also, raw spinach, kale, and chard are notoriously high in oxalic acid, which binds to both calcium and iron, making them difficult to absorb.  Cooking helps to reduce the oxalic acid content of these vegetables.

·     Avoid wines and teas rich in tannins, which interfere with iron absorption.

Because there can be different causes of iron deficiency, an individualized naturopathic plan is often the best approach to building and maintaining healthy iron levels naturally. Book an appointment to determine the best treatment approach for you.