Ways to Reduce our Toxin Load

I recently attended the National University of Natural Medicine's Preconception to Postpartum lecture presentations via webinar.  Shannon Sinsheimer ND's lecture on Preconception Counselling covered ways to reduce our toxin load to support healthy pregnancy preparation (and is also applicable in many ways to people of all ages in supporting our overall health).  Some of the helpful suggestions she offered include:  the importance of reducing our exposure to electromagnetic fields and WiFi signals by removing cell phones from our pockets/not carrying cell phones directly on our bodies/not placing laptops directly on our laps to support the health of our reproductive organs.  The importance of ensuring that we properly hydrate our bodies with water to support efficient body detoxification.  Aiming to become more aware of what we put onto our skin, body care and cosmetic product wise.  Many body care products and cosmetics contain compounds that are endocrine disruptors and have the potential to impact our fertility (and overall heath).  The Environmental Working Group (EWG)'s Skin Deep Cosmetics Database rates the safety of over 64.000 body care products and is an excellent  resource in helping us to choose healthier body care products (products with a lower number are considered less toxic and more healthy for us to use).  The EWG also has a Sunscreen Database which is another great resource (again products with a lower number are less toxic/more safe for us to use as well).  Another way for us to reduce our toxin load is to shift to non toxic house cleaning products (conventional cleaning products also contain a number of compounds that can place significant stress on our system).  The EWG also offers a great resource with their Guide to Healthy Cleaning.  Cleaning products are rated letters A - F with A being the best rating and the safest products for us to use in our homes.  Here is a link to the EWG's consumer guide/resources http://www.ewg.org/consumer-guides .

Oh COFFEE!

For many people, the most difficult food/drink to work with on the cleanse is COFFEE!  I am forever grateful that I somehow lucked into not being a coffee drinker, but I can still appreciate how hard it is to work on reducing coffee intake.  When we drink coffee every day, our body expects it to be there and if we don't have it, we will definitely have an adjustment period which generally includes a headache, irritability, low energy.  The longer we go without coffee (or with a lower amount), the less present the symptoms become and eventually our body will adjust and we will no longer feel headache-y, grouchy, or tired.  This will usually even out within 3 - 7 days.
For some people, integrating green tea (which has a caffeine base, but is less stressful for the body) will make the transition off coffee more manageable.
For many people though, removing coffee directly isn't an option especially when we are drinking more than 2 cups per day.  An easier on the body way to go about reducing our coffee intake when we drink a higher amount each day is to slowly reduce the amount we drink each week.  For instance, if we currently drink 4 cups of coffee per day, we would start by reducing to 3 3/4 cups of coffee per day for 1 week.  The next week, we would reduce to 3 1/2 cups of coffee per day and we would then continue to slowly reduce by 1/4 cup per day each week until we either are able to remove the coffee or get ourselves to a much lower daily amount.  This process isn't necessarily directly cleanse based but more based on the goal of reducing our daily coffee intake long term.  
Ultimately every body is better without coffee, but if we can reduce our coffee intake to 1 - 2 cups per day, our body will be considerably less stressed by the stimulant and dehydrating qualities of coffee.  The other thing to keep in mind when we are reducing our coffee intake is to not reduce the ritual surrounding coffee as well.  Usually the act of drinking coffee takes us into a space of doing something nice for ourselves, where we slow down, savour, and enjoy.  This aspect of coffee drinking is a wonderful part of our routine!  If we are aiming to reduce our coffee intake, it is still nice to maintain this space by either having another warm non-caffeinated drink or doing something else that encourages us to slow down and treat ourselves when we would normally drink coffee.
And keep in mind, our goal doesn't need to be no coffee at all - any reduction we make will be a positive step in supporting our overall health!

Children's Health and Green Space Access

 An article by Kurt Beil ND in the September 2016 issue of the Natural Medicine Journal looked at how children's health is impacted by their access to and engagement with green space in their neighbourhood.  The article focused on a study by Kim, Lee, and Sohn (published in the January 2016 issue of the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health) which involved 92 children ages 9 - 11 years.  The participants were assessed for their health related quality of life (HRQOL) using the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory.  How much of their surrounding neighbourhood was green space, the number of patches of trees that were in their surrounding neighbourhood, and the distance that existed between these patches of trees were statistically significant predictors of the children's HRQOL.  Larger green space area, more patches of trees, and further apart patches of trees were associated with an improved HRQOL.  As well, BMI, weekend physical activity level, and number of hours of TV watched were also statistically significant predictors of the children's HRQOL.   More balanced BMI, higher level of weekend physical activity, and lower number of hours of TV watched also were associated with an improved HRQOL.  None of this information is likely surprising, but it is still a helpful confirmation of how important it is for children (and for adults) to have access to green space in their neighbourhoods and how important it is to ensure that children (and adults) engage in outdoor physical activity and aim to limit the number of hours spent watching TV.  

Ashwagandha and Chronic Stress

An article by Tori Hudson ND in the November 2016 issue of the Natural Medicine Journal looked at the impact of ashwagandha on people with chronic stress and weight concerns.  The article looked at a study led by Choudhary, Bhattacharyya and Joshi (that was published in the April 2016 online issue of the Journal of Evidence Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine).  The study lasted 8 weeks and involved 50 people with half being dosed ashwagandha 2 times per day and the other half receiving a placebo 2 times per day.  A number of measurements (including stress levels measured via the Perceived Stress Scale or PSS, serum cortisol levels, and body weight) were taken at the start of the study, at 4 weeks duration and at 8 weeks duration.  Both groups had lower PSS scores at 4 and 8 weeks, but the group that received the ashwagandha had a significantly greater reduction in PSS scores at 4 weeks and even more significant reduction in PSS scores at 8 weeks than the placebo group.  Similarly serum cortisol levels (cortisol is a hormone produced by the adrenals and gives an indication of adrenal function - a higher level can indicate imbalanced adrenal function) were significantly lower at 4 weeks and then further reduced again at 8 weeks in the group that received the ashwagandha compared to the placebo group.  As well, at 8 weeks, the group that received the ashwagandha had a greater reduction in body weight than the placebo group.  Ashwagandha is an adaptogenic herb that helps to tonify the adrenals and supports overall healthier adrenal functioning.  When our adrenals function in a more balanced way, we have an easier time managing our stress and maintaining healthy weight balance.  The information gathered from this study helps to confirm this and further contributes to our knowledge and understanding of this wonderful herb.

Concerns with Acetaminophen Use in Pregnancy

An article published in the October 2016 issue of JAMA Pediatrics looked at acetaminophen (Tylenol) use in pregnancy and its impact on children's behaviour later in life.  The study led by Stergiakouli et al gathered data from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children which was made up of 7796 mothers and their children.  Acetaminophen use at 18 and 32 weeks of pregnancy was looked at and children's behaviour at 7 years of age was assessed through the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire.  Acetaminophen use at both 18 and 32 weeks was associated with higher odds of the child having behaviour concerns and hyperactivity symptoms.  And acetaminophen use at 32 weeks was also associated with higher odds of the child having emotional concerns.  This research brings up important information around pain management in pregnancy and the importance of exploring other forms of support that do not have the potential to place long term stress on children's development.  

Lutein and Zeaxanthin and Cognitive Function

A study published online in the Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society at the end of October 2016 looked at the impact of lutein and zeaxanthin on cognitive function.  The study led by Lindbergh et al looked at 43 people, average age 72 years, and used MRI to measure the participants' brain activity/efficiency when learning and repeating pairs of unrelated words.  Their retinal (eye) and serum lutein and zeaxanthin levels were also measured.  The study found that participants with higher levels of lutein and zeaxanthin had more efficient neural/brain activity!  The richest dietary sources of lutein and zeaxanthin are the leafy greens, especially kale, spinach, and dandelion greens, as well as turnip greens, swiss chard, collards.  Leafy greens can easily be integrated into our diets in salads, smoothies, soups, stir fries.  The evidence gathered from this study reflects that doing so can support our overall brain health and cognitive function!

Vitamin D for ASD

A study published in the November 21, 2016 issue of the Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry looked at vitamin D supplementation in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD).  The study was led by Saad et al and involved 109 children ages 3 - 10 years.  Participants either received vitamin D3 (at 300 IU per kg per day not exceeding 5000 IU per day) or placebo for 4 months.  All the children were assessed for ASD severity and social maturity prior to the study and at the end of the 4 months.  A significant improvement in ASD symptom severity was noted in the participants who received vitamin D3, but not in the participants who received the placebo.  Because we produce vitamin D3 internally during summer months, it tends to be a very easily tolerated supplement and this study points to it being an important part of the health support plan for people with ASD.