Treatment Protocol: Weaning Off Coffee

Treatment strategy adapted in part from Naturopathic Doctors News and Review article Managing Caffeine Withdrawal in the Patient Undergoing Detoxification (V. 7 Issue 12 p. 8-9) by Dr. Peirson ND and from Dr. Braverman’s Dopamine Deficiency Protocol. For more information on caffeine addiction see: http://thewrightdoctor.com/2011/12/26/coffee-addiction/

Daily Supplements and Lifestyle Changes:

  • 200-400 mg Magnesium Citrate – I like Trace Minerals Research liquid mineral formulas. It allows for a personal tailoring of dosage. Too much magnesium can have a laxative effect (which can be helpful if constipation is a side effect of caffeine withdrawal.) Take daily in juice.
  • 100mg B Complex  – I like Orti B by Seroyal, Thorne B5 Complex or Cortico B5B6 by Metagenics. 1 daily with food.
  • Buy several organic green teas, decaf coffee beans, a black tea and a decaf black tea. Start to mix the caffeinated and decaffeinated beans in your morning brews, and order “half-caf” when out.  Eventually leave the coffee behind and just have decaf or green teas.
  • Adrenal Assist by Vitanica – Vitamins, herbs and minerals for restoration of adrenal glands. Cross-check any medications with the herbs for possible interactions before starting this. 3 capsules daily, best in the morning for 3 – 6 months.
  • Coffee 6ch homeopathic remedy. 2 pellets as needed for headache associated with caffeine withdrawal.
  • High paced lifestyles need to be balanced with relaxation and restoration. Stress busting exercises such as deep breathing exercises, non-work related reading, chess, and non-aerobic exercises such as weight lifting are recommended 3 times per week.
  • Eliminating the kick of caffeine will result in cravings for sugar. Instead of sweets, turn to high protein foods rich in phenylalanine and tyrosine to restore dopamine levels depleted by chronic caffeine use. Round out high protein meals with plenty of fruits and vegetables. Phenylalanine is an essential amino acid found in the brain and blood that is converted to tyrosine and then to dopamine. Food sources of dopamine include:
Foods Amount Phenylalanine Tyrosine
Wild game 6-8 oz 2.6g 1.5g
Cottage cheese 1 cup 1.7g 1.7g
Chicken 6-8 oz 1.6 g 0.40
Duck 6-8 oz 1.6g 0.60
Turkey 6-8 oz 1.6g 0.70
Walnuts 6-8 oz 1.4 g 0
Wheat germ 1 cup 1.35g 1.00
Ricotta 1 cup 1.35g 1.50
Granola 1 cup 0.65 0.40
Rolled Oats 1 cup 0.50 0.35
Plain nonfat yogurt 1 cup 0.40 0.40
Whole milk 1 cup 0.40 0.40
Egg 1 0.35 0.25
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Coffee Addiction

I am a coffee lover – dark, black, strong, sometimes sweet.   I am the girl who will get out of bed for a french press. I have known for some time though that I will need to break the addiction – for detoxification, for adrenal fatigue, for hormone health, for fertility. And, I have finally decided that its time to start weaning myself from the dream bean. I know my skin will improve in hydration and texture, that my energy levels will improve (after I get through the caffeine withdrawal) and that my body will thank me in the long run. Coffee is a strong, complex mix of chemicals, and eventually any constant chemical exposure must play its toll.

I don’t intend to become completely abstinent! I just want to break my daily reliance on the drug. I want to become someone who savors the delicate flavors of organic green tea on sunny mornings. I will know a gen mai from a jasmine or sencha, and my cells will bathe in the anti-cancer catechins from the green tea flavonoids. However, I am not there yet. This week I am weaning to “half-caf,” and then to decaf (french press.) I will still have occasional, even weekly hits of delicious (full strength) coffee. I am also using a black/green tea mix to break the coffee habit while also slowly weaning off caffeine.

In her NDNR (Naturopathic Doctors New and Review) article Managing Caffeine Withdrawal in the Patient Undergoing Detoxification (V. 7 Issue 12 p. 8-9) Dr. Erica Peirson ND recommends supplementing Magnesium Citrate, a B Vitamin Complex and Adrenal Botanicals while weaning off caffeine. She also explains how caffeine works as a CNS stimulant. “Blocking adenosine receptors in the brain is a primary way that caffeine acts as a stimulant given its structural similarity to adenosine, Adensoine is not a neurotransmitter but a neuromodulator. Adenosine receptors inhibit the release of neurotransmitters. The release of neurotransmitters is increased when adenosine receptors are blocked by caffeine, resulting in central nervous system stimulation.” She then goes on to explain that the headaches associated with caffeine withdrawal are in part from increased sensitivity of these same receptors leading to dilation of blood vessels and hypotension.

To take the biochemistry of caffeine one step further, the binding of caffeine to the adenosine receptors means instead of slowing down, the brain/nerve cells fire up. The pituitary notices this increased action and sends hormones to tell the adrenal glands to increase production of adrenaline, giving you a boost of fight or flight energy. At the same time, caffeine slows down resorption of dopamine which is our pleasure neurotransmitter. With extra dopamine, you not only feel alert, but you feel good!

All of this is great occasionally – but I know that years and years of this cycle cant possibly be good for me. I am dehydrated, magnesium deficient, and my adrenaline and dopamine levels are pushed beyond their natural limits of production. Stepping off the caffeine / coffee platform will give my body the opportunity to restore adrenal health, balance my brain chemistry, and a great side effect will be improved liver detoxification leading to improved skin texture and color.  Its not going to be all fun – I am sure I will be more tired than usual, need more rest, and I may even be a little grumpy as my dopamine deficiency gets exposed. At least its winter in Maine, and I can tuck in early!

http://science.howstuffworks.com/caffeine5.htm

Arousal effect of caffeine depends on adenosine A2A receptors in the shell of the nucleus accumbens. The Journal Of Neuroscience: The Official Journal Of The Society For Neuroscience [J Neurosci] 2011 Jul 6; Vol. 31 (27), pp. 10067-75.

http://scienceblog.com/community/older/2003/C/2003921.html

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Keeping the Pace – Part 2

Maintaining Adrenal Health


Proper adrenal supplementation is as personalized as your causes of stress. The way the body adapts to stress can take many forms, and the best treatments will reflect your individual constellation of symptoms. However, everyone has some levels of adrenal fatigue just from the life we live, and daily generic supplementation will assist your body in maintaining adrenal health.  Healthy adrenal glands are like rich ripe plums, sitting atop our kidneys, playing key notes in our endocrine orchestra. Stress and exhaustion can cause them to become dried up and shriveled like prunes, which sequentially affects all the other players of our hormone system. Nourishing your adrenals and caring for them will help keep your entire hormone system playing smooth and true.

So, what products are best for you? The endocrine system includes a diverse set of very important glands including pituitary, thyroid, pancreas, adrenals and ovaries. This system often triangulates in function, and it is very rare to have a solo organ problem. Therefore, when choosing adrenal supplementation the rest of the endocrine system is also assessed in best practice treatment. Nourishment is multifactoral and includes vitamins to restore deficiencies caused by stress and botanical medicine to restore glandular function. This assessment is best done by a licensed professional who has had training in natural medications, contraindications, pharmaceutical interactions and adverse reactions.

Generally – an adrenal supplement taken daily will include Vitamin B5 and Vitamin C, both required for adrenal function. Rhodiola is a botanical that increases endurance and mental focus. In Russian army trials it proved to improve responses to stress – the typical dose is 150-300mg. Holy Basil is a lovely botanical that helps the body to regulate cortisol’s relationship to blood sugar; therefore,  it may be helpful for emotional binge eaters.  It has just come out a tea called Tulsi Tea. Relora is also a patented neutraceutical that has evidence based studies supporting its ability to re-regulate cortisol to normal diurnal patterns. It can also help reduce abdominal adiposity related to stress. My favorite general adrenal supplement for (US) long-term use is Vitanica’s Adrenal Assist – 3 capsules daily, which contains several of the above-mentioned products and more. In Canada, I like CanPrev’s Adrenal Thyroid Pro. Please note – if you are taking medications especially cardiac or blood pressure medications there is a potential for multiple interactions with these products, please seek advice from a Naturopathic Doctor or other professional trained in pharmaceutical-herbal interactions.

Adrenal Supplementation is a multi million-dollar industry as modern culture whips us into looking 15 years younger and doing the work of 3!  There are many approaches to restoring adrenal health, and new products available on a daily basis. One can be very scientific about adrenal disease, approach it from an energetic perspective, or start from somewhere in between.  Adrenal restoration is best done with a medical practitioner whether it’s a Naturopathic, Osteopathic or Allopathic Physician. Chiropractors are often trained in prescriptions for endocrine health, as are Nutritionists, Herbalists and Nurse Practitioners. Even some Pharmacists have jumped on the bandwagon. There is no Right answer or best practice that has been established, so finding someone with good credentials, experience and an approach to wellness you resonate with is the best place to start.

Depending on your state of health, laboratory testing may or may not be recommended. Salivary Hormone Testing of the hormone cortisol is a common place to start. This can be done as a single assessment or a 4-point panel reflecting an entire day. The 4-point is a more thorough and accurate assessment of daily cortisol activity. (Cortisol is pumped out by the adrenal gland in response to stress along with epinephrine and norepinephrine.) An entire endocrine panel including pituitary, thyroid and reproductive hormones can also be done for a good quality snapshot of the whole hormone system. Salivary testing is not required, but it is helpful to tailor an accurate treatment plan. However, a good practitioner will be able to read signs and symptoms of adrenal dysfunction from the initial interview, and will be able to do a differential diagnosis of whether or not there is thyroid involvement present. Therefore, laboratory testing is not always required. Bloodwork may also be suggested to assess whether the adrenal diseases Cushings and Addisons need to be ruled out.

Treatment of adrenal fatigue and endocrine dysfunction is a long slow process. Prescribed herbs and vitamins will need to be taken for a minimum of 3 months, and often over a 6-9 month period. This is especially true for women as the female reproductive hormones change weekly over a four-week period, so rebalancing can require several cycles for a noticeable response.

 

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Nutrition to Strengthen Liver Yin

     Modern culture is Yang obsessed. We go-go-go, we seek sun, we burn the candle at both ends, we exercise vigorously, and we love stimulants. It is a rare bird that has enough quiet, meditative alone time, in a dim or dark environment. This is the Yin state – nourishing, moistening, dark, and quiet – Yin builds what Yang wears down.

Every organ of the body has a Yin and a Yang aspect. Some organs (Spleen, Liver, Heart, and Lung for example) are naturally more Yin in Nature. Other organs (Stomach, Gall Bladder, Small Intestine and Large Intestine for example) are more Yang in nature. These “natures” were determined by the functions each organ enact as well as more energetic attributes. Supporting the natural state of each organ will optimize health, and promote healthy functioning.

      Much is said about detoxifying the Liver, and reducing its Yang (brought on by alcohol, drugs and stimulants) but what happens when you actually have deficient Liver Yin that needs to be nourished?  Stripping an already deficient organ will create further disharmony that will eventually manifest as pathology.

      A diagnosis of Liver Yin deficiency means that this aspect of the Liver organ network is compromised. The Liver not only detoxifies, it has many other (building) jobs including cholesterol metabolism, vitamin storage, bile production, and blood reservoir. Blood is a Yin substance (all fluids are yin) and many B12 and iron anemias can be diagnosed early on as a Liver Yin deficiency by a trained Acupuncturist. Thin brittle nails, anemia, sallow skin, easy bruising, hair loss, blurred vision, tinnitus, dizziness, infertility  and some tremors  are all associated with a Liver Yin deficiency diagnosis.

Nutrition is one of the best ways to support and recover Liver Yin. A diet that is nutrient rich and nourishing is essential, as is sitting down to relax while you eat and chewing thoroughly to savor flavors. The diet should also include plenty of fluids, especially in the form of soups. Meals consist of 40% easily digested complex carbohydrates like whole grains and starchy root vegetables. Another 40% of the diet is cooked vegetables. Proteins comprise 10-20% of the diet, with a focus on high quality organic or grass fed sources. Healthy fats fill the other remaining 5-10%.

Below is a list of recommended foods to nourish Liver Yin. Do not limit your nutritional intake to only these foods. Instead follow the guidelines above of the optimum ratios of carbohydrates, vegetables and proteins, and add the recommended foods from the list below within your meals. Where ever possible choose organically grown foods to avoid genetically modified ingredients.

Foods to Nourish Liver Yin Deficiency

 Zucchini, squash, potatoes, sweet potatoes, string beans, beets,

Mushrooms including wood ears & tremella,

Tomatoes, spinach, carrots, parsley,

Molasses

Apples, banana, mulberries, mango, coconut, peaches, lychee fruit, melons,

Grapes, raisins, cherries, plums

Olive oil, flaxseed oil, almond oil

Vegemite, kelp, spirulina, wheatgrass

 Oats, rice, millet, barley

Adzuki beans, black beans, mung beans

Organic cow, goat and sheep yogurt

Tempeh, tofu, miso

Nuts & seeds, black sesame seeds (great as a condiment!)

Eggs

Pork, chicken, Chinese black boned chicken, duck

Mackerel, sardines, oysters, mussels, clams

Cuttlefish, squid, perch, eel

Foods to Restrict or Avoid

Chilies, cinnamon, garlic, ginger, onions, shallots, leeks, basil, cloves, wasabi

Coffee, black tea

Vinegar, pickles

Lamb, shrimp, veal

Citrus fruits

Cigarettes, alcohol

Recreational stimulants

Activities that build whole-body Yin nourishment are also encouraged while working specifically on Liver Yin. Rest more. Read. Spend some quiet, alone contemplative time in a cool, dark room with a candle lit (taking a bath is a nice way to do this.) Exercises like Tai Chi and Yoga are more Yin building than Yang in nature. Drink warm water and lemon. Get extra sleep. Breathe.

References:

Clinical Handbook Of Internal Medicine, Vol. 2. MacLean & Lyttleton. University of Western Sydney: Australia. 2002.

Chinese Dietary Therapy. Liu, J. Churchill Livingston: Edinburgh. 1995.

The Healing Cuisine of China. Zhao & Ellis. Healing Arts Press: Vermont. 1998.

An interesting theoretical write up: http://www.indiadivine.org/audarya/ayurveda-health-wellbeing/997986-liver-yin-deficiency-patterns-derived-patterns.html

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Managing Stress to Create Health

“But I don’t feel stressed!”

How does stress affect your body? Stress affects multi-systems. Here is a quick run through the major players in the stress domino effect, and some at home tips to balance and harmonize your stress hormones.

PHASE 1 (ALARM) There is a threat to your being. Your adrenal glands kick in and start producing hormones – for example, adrenaline.

PHASE 2 (RESISTANCE) You are holding up a good fight. You think you’ve won.

PHASE 3 (EXHAUSTION) Lots of small stresses add up. Eventually you can’t take it anymore. Body systems get run down, especially the immune system.

Adrenal glands

The adrenals are small, paired glands that sit on top of your kidneys, and secrete the “stress hormones” cortisol and adrenaline. When you are under stress, it is the job of these glands to release these hormones in a “fight or flight” response – providing energy to your brain, diverting blood away from your digestive system to your muscles, increasing your blood pressure and heightening awareness. This instinctual response was designed to assist a quick getaway from a dangerous or life threatening situation – but is instigated chronically day after day. Mental stress can trigger this reaction, as can alcohol, sugar and caffeine. Over time, the adrenals become fatigued, and not be able to maintain the demands you are placing on them. This leads to a host of symptoms including chronic low energy, irritability, insomnia, weight gain, headaches, sugar cravings, and dizziness.

Digestive system

Your digestive system is affected by chronic stress, partly in relation to the adrenal response. Under stressful situations, your digestive system slows down in order to provide extra energy and blood to your brain and muscles. Eating on the run, eating too fast, and eating while doing other things (like working) impairs digestive function and absorption of nutrients from your intestines. This can lead to indigestion, nutrient deficiencies, and  gas and bloating. While under stress, cravings for sugar and other simple carbohydrate foods are often increased, as they offer a “quick fix” energy boost. This is inevitably followed by an energy crash, which stimulates the sugar cravings again, creating a rollercoaster of sugar highs and lows – as well as chronic upset stomach and weight gain.

Immune system

Your immune system is greatly affected by stress via cortisol released by the adrenals. Any kind of stress can increase cortisol – work, yo-yo dieting, illness, financial worries. Cortisol decreases the rate your body can make new proteins, including proteins in the immune system, and this suppresses the immune response. The result is you may find you are becoming run down and catching colds easily. Aggravation of current allergies, or even formation of new allergies, are often a result of long term stress on the immune system. High cortisol or very low cortisol lead to high levels of inflammation – manifesting as joint disease, heart disease, and many multi-systemic autoimmune conditions.

Sleep

The human body needs the nighttime sleep hours to recalibrate after the events of the day. Have you ever awakened from a full night’s sleep and felt more tired than when you went to bed? Does it take you a long time to fall asleep or do you wake often during the night?  Sleep has emotionally charged phases that increase when you have more stress. A busy head while you’re awake can be carried over into sleep and decreases your body’s ability to rest. Natural hormone balance between cortisol and melatonin is also upset by stress resulting in early waking and sleep deprivation.

Pain

Stress decreases your body’s ability to rest and heal.  When everything is functioning properly, pain symptoms are minimal. When your system is overwhelmed, it can no longer manage or adapt as well to its environment. As stress levels increase, your ability to tolerate pain decreases, resulting in increased sensitivity to pain. While in an overwhelmed state, minor symptoms like headaches and back pain can become major problems.

Emotions

Often people say “but I don’t feel stressed”, however this is usually an inability to connect to how we are really feeling. Irritability, depression, tempers, impatience, crying, feeling overwhelmed – these are all indicators that you are under stress and you are responding to it emotionally.

5 Ways You Can Start to Manage Stress:

Nutrition

Eating slowly and mindfully is very important, and allows your digestive system to work efficiently. This means chewing every bite thoroughly and eating sitting down, without being distracted by reading or TV. Sit at your table, light a candle, and eat quietly. Then,go back to the television! Caffeine, alcohol and sugar create extra stress in the body without providing any nutrition. If you are very stressed, cut back on caffeine; enjoy organic green tea and herbal teas through the day instead of coffee and pop.  Avoid chips, chocolate bars, pastries and donuts. Keep healthy snacks like seasonal fruit and raw nuts and seeds at your desk to munch on. Vitamins may be helpful to aid your body in healing from stress. Naturopathic Doctor’s are the vitamin experts, and are trained in pharmacology, nutrition and botanical medicine to ensure your supplements are not causing interactions.

Sleep

Getting enough quality sleep every night is very important for allowing your body to heal from excessive stress. Set a regular bedtime and stick to it – within one hour – even on the weekends. Do not exercise vigorously for 2 hours before bedtime. Turn off the TV an hour before bedtime, and create a relaxing bedtime ritual so that your body knows it is time for sleep. Take a bath, have a cup of Valerian or Passionflower tea, read, stretch, or write in a journal about your day. Meditation or visualization CD’s are also great nighttime rituals and can help you maximize your down time.

Exercise

Exercise is one of the best ways to reduce stress. This does not need to be exhausting; a 30 minute walk every day can make a huge difference. Exercising with a friend or partner is the most successful way to go. Start a lunch-time walk at the office with a group of co-workers. Enlist your kids or partner in an after dinner walk every day. Not only will you feel more relaxed and sleep better, but you will enjoy valuable social or family time also. If you can, join the local YMCA or gym and take regular exercise classes as well. Pilates is fantastic for people who need an active body-based gentle strengthening. Yoga is great for people who like stretching and deep breathing exercise.

Replacing bad habits for good

We all know that smoking, drinking too much, drinking too much caffeine, snacking in front of the TV, not exercising, and not eating breakfast are all bad habits that we should probably do something about, but it can seem insurmountable to change. Make a commitment to yourself to do something positive and healthy in order to improve your health and well being. Decide to change just one bad habit at first. Take small steps, don’t try to do it all at once, and don’t go it alone. A Naturopathic Doctor can offer effective assistance in quitting smoking, reducing caffeine intake, or improving your diet for example.

Self care and emotional care

Often when we are feeling burned out by stress in our lives we are putting out more energy than we are taking in. This may come in the form of work or family demands, or worrying about money, the future, or relationship problems. The first thing to be dropped from a busy schedule is almost always you. Most of us do not prioritize any time for ourselves in a day – when was the last time you took an hour just for you? Remind yourself that you are worth caring for and deserve to be healthy. Take 30 minutes every day that is just for you – not for your partner, your children, your friend or your boss. Do something you enjoy that brings you happiness, like as a dance class, a massage, a walk on the beach, a bath with candles, time at the gym, a meditation CD, creative writing, tea and conversation with a close friend – anything that brings you joy. What makes you joyful?

Your heart and spirit require joyfulness to be healthy; if you find your life is lacking this crucial element, it may be time to take a hard look at where you are and what you want. And. Or, it may be time to see a Naturopathic Doctor and start using acupressure, botanical medicine, homeopathy, lifestyle counseling, and nutrition to improve your mental, physical and emotional wellness and better manage the inevitable stresses of modern life.

 

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Spring Green

The world around us still looks pale and meek, dressed in the browns and yellows of winter. But inside the seemingly dead fields and forests the secret stirrings of spring have begun. It is like this for us too. Creatures of midwinter, we have been hunkered down next to fires and under blankets, eating the comfort foods of winter. And inside our bodies the cravings for the fresh flushes of chartreuse and dark greens stir as well.

This is the time of year of the Liver in Chinese medicine, which is associated with all shades of green. We are moving from the elemental season of water into the season of wood. And so, we naturally start turning our palates towards green and woody foods. Asparagus and fiddleheads are the most delicate of spring greens, but all green leafy vegetables are beneficial at this time of year.

Types of dark green leafy vegetables:  

  • kale
  • chard
  • dandelion
  • rapini
  • broccoli

 

 

  • spinach
  • arugula
  • watercress
  • collards
  • beet greens
  • bok choy

Tips to remember with leafy greens:

  • You’ll absorb more nutrients from your vegetables if they are eaten with a little fat (if using flax seed oil for omega 3 add to your greens after cooking.)
  • Steaming is the best nutritional option for cooking vegetables.
  • Sautéeing or stir-frying your vegetables is another quick and easy method. When stir-frying, start with 1 tbsp oil and 1 tbsp water or broth. Frying with just oil causes the oil to burn and oxidize quickly, increasing free radical production and potential damage to your body when you ingest it. Adding water keeps the oil at a lower temperature so oxidation is reduced.
  • Coconut oil is the best oil to sautée vegetables in as it has a very high melting point so the above oxidation can be avoided even without water. It also adds a yummy light yet rich flavor.

Do you have trouble getting enough leafy greens into your day?

Here are a few suggestions to boost your daily intake. One serving is equivalent to: 1 cup raw greens, or 1/2 cup cooked greens. Aim for 3 servings of greens daily, 5 days a week in spring.

Remember variety is the key – don’t stop at just one vegetable at dinner. Include salad or steamed greens every day, and at lunch and dinner make sure there are 2 green vegetables on your plate at once.

  • Eat a small salad with eggs and toast
  • Add chopped fresh kale or swiss chard to pasta sauce
  • Pile baby spinach leaves and watercress on sandwiches
  • Sautée red or green chard in olive/coconut oil with onions/garlic
  • Steam mixed kale, chard and dandelion and serve with pesto
  • Bake rapini with eggplant in rich tomato sauce or in lasagna
  • Stir fry leafy greens with leftover rice with a sauce of vegetable stock, white wine and mirin (Japanese sweet brown rice condiment), and a little wheat free tamari
  • Top steamed vegetables with miso tahini sauce: Combine 2 tsp miso, 1 tbsp tahini, 2 tsp tamari and thin with hot water to make a sauce
  • Mix up your salads: use arugula, watercress, radicchio, shredded cabbage…. I like the Herb Spring Mix for more flavors.
  • Use your favorite salad dressing over steamed bok choy, collards and broccoli
  • Add warm steamed veggies, dried currants and toasted walnuts over any salad
  • Mix sesame oil, 1/4 cup orange juice and tamari with with 1 tsp cornstarch, and add to any greens stir fry. Serve over short grain Ludenberg brown rice.
  • Mix dash of olive oil, garlic, lots of chopped greens (and other veggies), a small can of plum tomatoes, basil and oregano, some crumbled feta or goat cheese, and black olives
  • Add arugula, diced raw peppers, celery, and red onions to a can of chick peas, with your favorite vinaigrette for a lunch or side dish
  • Add chopped tomato, any tender dark green leafy veggie like spinach or watercress, and asparagus to your scrambled eggs or omelet at breakfast
  • Veggie pizza – top a spelt (or other) crust with tomato sauce, and add a thick layer of kale, drizzle flavored olive oil, and top with mozzarella and goat cheese before baking
  • Instead of bread, eat hummus or other dips with raw broccoli
  • consider raw green smoothies for breakfast! Fruity, green and delicious. See www.rawfamily.com

Nutritional Benefits:

Dark Leafy Greens are high in fiber, which improves bowel health. The greens are rich in chlorophyll, which detoxifies your intestines. And, the spicy and bitter greens also improve digestive function by increasing the flow of digestive juices improving heartburn, constipation, gas and bloating. Broccoli,  kale and bok choy also improve the livers detoxification abilities, which creates a better hormonal balance and can ease PMS. During these next 3 months, consciously increase your leafy greens and cruciferous vegetables to get your own juices flowing, and feel your energy levels and digestive function spring into health!

 

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Optimizing Diet For Radioactive Protection

Complimentary Medicine Radio-Protective Guidelines: How to protect your body from radiation.

The Japan Nuclear Crisis brought nuclear radiation poisoning back into the forefront of our consumer minds, as much to our dismay the whole world watched the reactors teeter on the edge of implosion. Iodine was handed out to the local inhabitants like tic tacs as people did what they could to protect their lives. The imminent crisis has passed, but local foods were poisoned, and radiation leaked into the Pacific Ocean, a world food source. Everyone on the planet will be affected by this disaster.

Nuclear radiation is an ongoing concern, with effects that can takes months, years, and centuries to clear. Nutritionally protecting our genes (for our next generations) and our cells (for our well being) is even more of a priority than ever before.Using these supplements and treatment principals you can diminish the effects of all kinds of radiation – nuclear and xray – and protect your health. It is well known than radioactive iodine has an affinity for the ovaries and the thyroid. Radioactive iodine 131 (from nuclear plant emissions, x-rays, and radiotherapy) is very readily absorbed. Ensuring adequate natural iodine from food sources can and will prevent the radioactive iodine from binding to these sensitive organs and from the potentially harmful genetic effects down the road.

Iodine: There is evidence based research that Iodine has a radioprotective effect. It prevents the assimilation of radioactive iodine at a cellular level. It has also been shown to reduce the effects of renal calculi, improve thyroid function, be a factor in fetal development, and influence fibrocystic breast disease.

REQUIRED MINIMUM DOSAGE:

• Adults 150 mcg day
• Children 90-120 mcg /day
• Pregnancy 220 mcg/day
• Breastfeeding 290 mcg/day

Dietary sources of Iodine:

SEAWEEDS
Kelp 3400 mcg 1 tsp
Arame 730 mcg 1 Tbs
Wakame 80 mcg 1 Tbs
Nori 32 mcg 1 sheet

FISH
Cod 341 mcg 3 ounces
Shrimp 79 mcg 3 ounces
Halibut 56 mcg 3 ounces
Herring 56 mcg 3 ounces
Sardines 30 mcg 3 ounces
Tuna 17 mcg 3 ounces

SALT
Iodized salt 76mcg  1 tsp

DAIRY
Cow’s milk (US) 56 mcg 1 cup
Mozzarella cheese 10 mcg 1 ounce
Yogurt 87 mcg 1 cup

OTHER FOODS
Turkey breast 34 mcg 3 ounces
Strawberries 12 mcg 1 cup
Egg 23 mcg 1egg

SUPPLEMENTS
Iodoral TM 12,000 mcg 1 tab
Lugol’s TM 5% 6250 mcg Per drop
Typical multi vitamin 150 mcg Per serving

VEGETABLES

Organic iodine is found in low levels in swiss chard, turnip greens, wild garlic and onions, watercress, squash, mustard greens, watermelon, cucumber, spinach, asparagus, kale,  citrus, and pineapple.

Inorganic iodine in salt can act as local irritant causing dyspepsia, indigestion, and decreased ability to assimilate food.  Therefore, table salt as a poor food source of Iodine. There is a loss of balance between sodium, potassium, calcium, and magnesium with inorganic iodine use.

Sea vegetables contain all 56 minerals in addition to iodine. They are 25% protein and 2% fat, and rich sources of magnesium, iron,  and sodium. Seaweeds contain beta-carotene, B1, B5, B12, niacin, vitamin E, vitamin C, selenium and traces of vitamin D, and help to dissolve fat and mucus deposits.

  • Mild sea veggies are dulse, kombu, and arame.
  • Strong sea veggies are kelp, wakame, and hijiki

Sodium alginate is also found to be radioprotective which is also found in seaweed. This compound is used in heavy metal detoxification as it is very absorptive and aids the body in eliminating toxic compounds. Sodium Alginate:

  • Chelates Strontium 90 from bone tissue
  • Permits calcium to be available for the body
  • Brown kelp (hijiki, arame, and kombu) chelates strontium and iron
  • Red kelp (dulse) chelates plutonium
  • Green kelp chlates cesium
  • SA may cause constipation if formed into fruit gelatin

Other beneficial foods for radiation protection:

Green Tea: Camellia Sinensis may have the ability to protect cells at a microbiological level from gamma ray radiation. More research is needed.

Bee pollen: Dose: 20g or 2 tbsp three times per day. This has unclear research behind it; however, it is a traditional superfood for vitality.

  • Rejuvenates body and enhances vitality
  • It is not an allergen
  • Decreases side effects of radium and cobalt-60 radiotherapy
  • Develops a stronger immune response
  • Add to juice, soup, water, smoothies, yogurt; but do not cook

Fermented foods: miso, tempeh, tamari, shoyu, pickles, sourkraut, yogurt.

  • Stimulates the production of friendly intestinal bacteria improving immune health. It is thought that the regular consumption of Miso in Japan culture helped people recover from the Hiroshima nuclear attack although little research has been done.
  • There is some evidence that it is the soy isoflavones that are protective elements on a traditional Japanese diet. 

6. Nutritional yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisae:) take with calcium and magnesium (nutritional yeast is high in phosphate)

  • 3 tbsp daily
  • 50% protein and 18 minerals including trace minerals and Selenium.
  • Prevents oxidation of vitamin E
  • Radioprotective effects on DNA and RNA
  • Binds and absorbs uranium, lead, mercury, carbon monoxide, DDT, nitrates, nitrites.
  • Assists liver to detoxify blood
  • Side effects: gas/flatulence, start at < 1 tsp with water or juice on an empty stomach, may experience temporary itching/flushing.

Contraindications: Gout. Nutritional yeast is high in nucleic acids which are converted to purines. Do not use Brewers/Torula yeast (contain by-products)

Garlic: 1-2 cloves daily or 2 capsules of kyolic garlic

  • Cysteine – binds and deactivates radioactive isotopes, cadmium, lead, and mercury
  • Sulpher and cysteine helps liver and kidney detoxify the body

Chlorophyll:

  • Decreases radiation toxicity
  • Found in broccoli, green cabbage, alfalfa, leafy greens, celery, parsley, sprouts, edible grass, sunflower greens, spirulina and chlorella 

Botanical medicine for radioprotection:

There is a long list of botanicals suggested to treat radiation poisoning; however, other than calendula topically for radiation burns, they all only have traditional or historical use rather than evidence based studies. Keep in mind, that doing clinical studies on radiation poisoning using complementary medicine may be ethically difficult at best, and historical or traditional use may in fact be the best measure of success available.

The choice of botanical medicines to use is best under the supervision of a Master Herbalist or Naturopathic Doctor educated in the pharmacological use of herbal medicine, especially if in conjunction with multiple medications.

Nutrition Essentials for Radiation Protection:

Whole grains: 40% of daily intake, 2-3 servings.

Vegetables: 25% of daily intake, 3-4 servings per day. Choose vegetables rich in calcium and chlorophyll such as collards, parsley, kale.Beets are also highly nutritive as they assist in rebuilding hemoglobin after exposure to radiation.

Beans and Legumes: 2-7% of daily intake, 1 serving

Sea veggies: 3% – 3 ounces per day

Fruit: 5% of daily intake. Choose fruits high in antioxidants – blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, dark cherries, apricots, pomegranates, mangoes.

Concentrated protein: 30% good quality organic non-GMO protiens

Recipes for Nutritional Excellence

Green Chlorophyll Drink: See www.rawfamily.com for inspiring recipes and videos for fresh greens smoothies!

Use any combination of parsley, celery, spinach, collards, turnip greens, chard, leaf or romaine lettuce, kale, endive, watercress, peeled cucumber, green cabbage, alfalfa sprouts, sprouted sunflower seeds, sprouted clover seeds, or edible wheatgrass. Wash greens. Blend with water and equal amounts of fresh fruit. Can add a small amount of chopped carrot or beet. Makes 2 smoothies.

Health drink

in 8 oz green smoothie fresh, raw apple juice add:

1 tbsp primary grown nutritional yeast; 1 tbsp lecithin; 1.5 tbsp chlorella or spirulina; 2-3 tsp honey; 1 tbsp bee pollen; 1-2 tbsp carob powder; nutmeg, cinnamon, banana

Blend and drink hot or cold. I recommend taking 600mg calcium citrate and 300mg magnesium citrate alongside.

The Protector!

Mix: 1 tbsp primary grown nutritional yeast + 1 tbsp lecithin in organic apple juice.

Prevention Smoothie

Blend: Fruit such as banana, mango, pineapple, papaya, pear or ¼ cup fresh berrie; 1 tbsp bee pollen; ¼ cup organic goat or sheep yoghurt; ¼ cup organic sunflower seeds; 1 cup raw apple juice; 1 cup filtered water; ¼ cup carob powder; 2 tsp cinnamon; 1 oz chlorophyll juice; 1 tsp pure vanilla extract; 1 raw egg yolk; honey to taste

ADD: 1/2 tsp liquid extract of Siberian ginseng; 1 tsp powdered or liquid extract Panax ginseng; 1 tsp powdered dulse or kelp (kelp preferred for sodium alginate and iodine)

Add vitamins such as 600mg calcium citrate, 300mg magnesium citrate, 20 000 units vitamin A, 4000 units vitamin D, and/or 400 units vitamin E

References
Medical Nutrition from Marz 2nd edition. Russell Marz ND MAcOP C 1999

Omni Pennington JAT, Schoen SA, Salmon GD, Young B, Johnson RD, Marts RW. Composition of core foods of the U.S. food supply, 1982-1991. III. Copper, manganese, selenium, iodine. J Food Comp Anal. 1995;8:171-217.

Teas, J., Pino, S., Critchley, A., Braverman, L.E., 2004. Variability of iodine content in common commercially available edible seaweeds. Thyroid 14, 836–841.

http://zrtdocsblog.blogspot.com/2011/05/got-iodine-how-to-get-enough-iodine.html

AhmadIU, Forman JD, Sarkar FH, et al. Soy isoflavones in conjunction with radiationtherapy in patients with prostate cancer. NutrCancer. 2010;62(7):996-1000.

www.nationalstandard.com/database/herbssupplements

Sterilization and protection of protein in combinations of Camellia sinensis green tea extract and gamma irradiation.Detail Only Available (eng; includes abstract) By Saloua KS, Salah K, Nasreddine B, Samia A, Mouldi S, Ahmed L, International Journal Of Biological Macromolecules [Int J Biol Macromol], ISSN: 1879-0003, 2011 Apr 1; Vol. 48 (3), pp. 452-8; PMID: 21238480

www.optimox.com

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Nutrition and Lifestyle Support for First Trimester

Pregnancy Nutrition for First Trimester

More than half of all women suffer from nausea and vomiting during their pregnancy.  No one knows what causes “morning sickness” but it has been linked to higher hormone levels, changes in blood sugar, and stress.  Nausea and Vomiting usually begin around the 6th week of pregnancy. It usually stops at about the 12th week, although it can continue throughout pregnancy for 20% of women. L During these weeks,  allow yourself to change your activity level and adjust your schedule to help yourself cope with the physical symptoms. Your body is doing some incredible chemistry creating a tiny new being!

Here are tips for keeping the nausea at a minimum.

Lifestyle

  • Eat a few crackers before you get out of bed and rest for 15 more minutes.
  • Keep small snacks in little jars and containers in your purse, your desk, your car, and your kitchen.
  • Eat every 1.5 -2 hours in little bits. You may feel nausea if you eat, but you will feel even worse if you don’t eat!
  • Try not to skip meals
  • Eat slowly, and do not lie down right after eating
  • Ask friends and family for help with errands and housework!
  • Take naps – Nausea is worse when you are tired.
  • Get fresh air daily
  • Avoid hot and stuffy rooms
  • Taking a prenatal multivitamin in capsule form that can be split up throughout the day with meals can make it easier to take your vitamins. If there are days you cant stomach it, don’t worry.
  • Take your folic acid daily even when you don’t take your prenatal.
  • Acupressure “sea sickness” wristbands are helpful for some women.

Food Choices

  • Choose easily digested foods – baked potatoes, mashed yams, homemade gravy, stewed fruits, watery fruits, crackers, etc
  • Avoid cooking spicy or greasy foods at home
  • If you are craving greasy foods, have a few plain potato or rice chips
  • Hot women – put grapes in the freezer to snack on
  • Cold women – drink ginger teas, eat candied ginger
  • EmergenC packets also contain electrolytes and can help rehydrate if you have been vomiting.  Drink 1-2 per day as needed.
  • Soups, porridges, and stews provide healthy  liquids and nutrients.
Food Ideas To Relieve nausea
Ø    Salty Ø    Chips, Spelt Pretzels, Tamari Almonds
Ø    Tart / Sweet Ø    Pickles, Organic Lemonade, Kombucha
Ø    Earthy Ø    Brown Rice, Mushroom Soup, Almond Butter
Ø    Crunchy Ø    Celery Sticks, Apple Slices, Nuts
Ø    Bland Ø    Mashed Potatoes, Broths
Ø    Soft Ø    Bread, Rice Noodles
Ø    Sweet Ø    Homemade Muffins, Cereal with Honey
Ø    Fruity Ø    100% Juice Popsicles, Watermelon
Ø    Liquid Ø    Juice, Seltzer, Ginger Ale
Ø    Dry Ø    Rice Crackers, Saltines, Rice Cakes

Beverages

  • Dehydration will make you feel worse!
  • Plain water can make some women feel worse. Try drinking lemon water, or lemon water with a little maple syrup.
  • Drink in small sips.
  • Avoid drinking before, during and after meals.

Smells can be very nauseating for a pregnant woman. A good tip is keeping a piece of fresh lemon peel or ginger root on a hankie, and sniff it when feeling nausea. Don’t use synthetic scents as these often make it worse.

What if you can’t keep anything down?

Hyperemesis Gravidarum affects 1% of pregnant women per year. Lack of food, fluids and nutrients can be harmful to mom and baby. Severe cases of dehydration require IV fluids and nutrient supplementation from a hospital. Seek medical attention if you have frequent vomiting and infrequent urination or dark yellow urine. Early diagnosis and treatment is best, so don’t try and “be brave!”

Acupuncture, B6, ginger capsules, and homeopathy can treat mild to moderate cases of nausea and vomiting. Use 50 mg of B6 twice daily with food. Severe Nausea may need a prescription medication called Diclectan.

Summary: Congratulations on being pregnant! For this first trimester 3 keys are:

1.     Rest Rest Rest Rest

2.     Eat frequent small amounts – every 2 hours is a must! Remember, eating might not help but Not eating will make you feel worse

3.     Follow your body’s cravings, trying to stick to wholesome home cooked versions of the more junky cravings. And. Don’t forget to sip lots of water!

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Weight Loss and Other Mysteries

Weight loss is and will always be immensely complicated, full of chutes and ladders of self esteem, deprival mentality binging, and whirlpools of addiction. Still, there is a forest beyond the trees. Or, a Candyland amidst the candy as the case may be.

Successful weight loss has 4 steps: detoxification, cortisol balancing, optimizing diet and exercise. Detoxification is the new key step to integrate – at the beginning of the weight loss process. Evidence is mounting that our body uses our fat cells and between-cell fluids to store toxins that it is not able to metabolize effectively. Some Persistent Organic Pollutants (environmental toxins) have even been suggested to be “obesogens” contributing to further weight gain. 1 . When we exercise or reduce caloric intake to facilitate fat burning, the matrix between our fat cells can be so thick with unprocessed environmental and metabolic toxins that the body preferentially burns muscle to get the fuel it needs! Therefore, Step 1 must be to detoxify. Our body has 3 primary routes of detoxification: bowels, kidney and liver. All three will eventually need some fine tuning, and the order of tonification depends on your signs and symptoms, as well as your medications and general vitality.

Step 2: Optimizing Diet. Its so hard to eat well consistently. It is even harder if food is one of your chosen drugs, and you are addicted. Weight loss would be so easy if everyone was willing to go gluten and dairy free! In my experience if you have a 65%  whole foods diet, then the remaining 35% can be whatever you want.  To figure out how to shift your eating with an approach that will work for you in the long term there are many resources – The Glycemic Diet and Eating Right for Your Blood Type both explain more about the underlying principals of nutrition. Weight Watchers also works for a reason – being accountable for what you are eating and restricting some foods to moderate amounts *will* help you lose weight. What does “whole food” mean to me? 65% of your diet will be cooked grains, steamed or sauteed vegetables, organic fruits and juices, tofu, beans, eggs, wild fish, coconut milk, olive oil, butter, nuts and seeds. The remaining 35% can then be everything else – beef, bread, cheese, bacon, alcohol, etc. What does 35% mean for real? 2.45 days a week you can eat whatever you want, the remaining days are pretty basic, healthy, and “granola” food choices IF you actually want to lose weight.

Stress Management aka Cortisol Regulation is the golden child of any weight loss program. Several books have been written in the past 10 years outlining the connections between stress, hormones and weight gain. I like cracking The Metabolic Code by James LaValle R.Ph, C.C.N., ND. The bottom line is this – when you are stressed out, your blood cortisol levels increase. Just in case you are running from a rabid dog and need to climb a tree your body makes sure (via increased cortisol) you have lots of sugar available in your blood for extra energy. However, if you aren’t in fact running, and don’t need to extra sugar, your body turns that blood sugar into belly fat. Therefore, its important with all weight loss programs to address stress at some point to treat the biochemical imbalances leading to increased weight. There are a few herbs and vitamins that specifically rebalance cortisol levels, and reteach the body how to respond appropriately to the every days stress of life.

Finally, exercise and an active lifestyle. Getting the blood pumping and muscles moving mobilizes fat toxins into the bloodstream, and serves as an excellent antidote to daily stress. Check! I also find that getting ones body moving in whatever form works for you is invaluable to setting the positive cycle of weight loss in motion. The positive cycle is this: eat a good meal –> feel good about yourself –> go for a walk/to the gym/to yoga –> feel sexier–> feel motivated and excited about life –> make a good food choice. The cycle keeps going so that sooner than you expect it, you start to feel the benefits in the way your clothes fit which makes the supplements and brown rice and kale suddenly get much more appealing!

There is no one quick fix, no one diet or pill or product or form of exercise that will resonate for everyone. The structure is fluid and fundamental – the individual components are designed to be strategically tailored to fit your life and style. I also think  its worth asking yourself – do you Really want to lose weight for You? Or, are you holding your Self up against an ideal that you actually don’t want to attain? Personal honesty will take you further than anything else. Allow yourself the option of total success if you truly want to revolutionize your self image. And, weight loss takes time. It is only reasonable to lose 10% of your total weight in any given period of weight loss. So, if you are 160lbs, losing more than 16 pounds is more than your psyche will be able to maintain. Therefore, when you reach your new goal weight (144) you will need to start over and reassess where you are, and where you want to be before another 14 pounds is sustainably lost.

Every Body is Beautiful.

1. Lim, JS, et al. Inverse association between long term weight change and serum concentrations of persistent organic pollutants. Int J Obes (Lond) 2010 Sept 7 [EPub head of print.]

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Materia Medica, Or, the Dispositional State

Homeopathic Diagnosis and Prescription are part of classical Naturopathic Medicine. Its taught every semester of the 4 year post-graduate program to become a ND, alongside our other basic modalities of Acupuncture, Botanical Medicine, Nutrition, and Physical Medicine. Personally,  I have always had an equal passion for Homeopathy as for Acupuncture. For the first half of my professional career, I focused more on Continuing Education in Chinese Medicine – learning the historical and modern teachings of acupuncture, fertility and gynecology. However, I have continued to practice homeopathy throughout, balancing the two according to individual case needs.

Two years ago, I was finally able to take a Master Clinician course in Homeopathy from Louis Klein – www.louisklein.com –  a brilliant teacher and practitioner of Homeopathy. The course www.luminoushomeopathy.com is 4 weekends a year for 3 years, and has focused on relearning remedies from an entirely new perspective without the classical bias of archetypal polychrest homeopathy. The course has also emphasized case taking, and has revolutionized how I view a client, and can categorize the information while deconstructing a case. Each semester investigates a different group of remedies – i.e. minerals, acids, insects, milks, plant families – and delves deeply into the psychology, pathology, and physical presentation of each subsection of the Materia Medica. Its been utterly and completely fascinating.

Now that I will be moving from a province where Acupuncture is licensed under my Naturopathic Degree to a State where Acupuncture is a separate license, I will be drawing more deeply from the well of homeopathic knowledge. Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine will always remain a passion for me – And I will continue to develop my academics to ensure that I can get my L. Ac as soon as possible. However, I am excited on a personal and professional level to further develop my homeopathic case taking and prescribing skills with this new level of academic mastery.

As one patient described it, the correct homeopathic remedy has the power “to unlock that tiny door to your heart, and finally let the light shine through.” That is, If, the doctor is perceptive enough, and trained well enough in Materia Medica, to be able to recognize the size and shape of that oh-so-personal key.

The Fairer Sex – Gender Bias in Homeopathy

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