All posts by Sushma Shah

The Naturopathic Perspective On Body Cleansing And Detoxification

Healthy Me, , , , , , ,

BODY CLEANSING AND DETOXIFICATION

Cleansing is an important part of maintaining health, slowing the aging process and preventing diseases, by allowing the body to rid itself of a build up of toxins. There are many ways of doing this. Ideally, a person should be free of commitments during a cleanse, as much as is possible, because a relaxed person can detoxify more efficiently. Another note of caution, do not ever make yourself “fit” into a cleanse. The cleanse should “fit” you. Take time to experiment to see what regime will best suit your schedule, but also remember that you will need to make room for it no matter how busy you are.

A cleanse can be a fast, but it doesn’t have to be. You can eat while cleansing, provided that you use cleansing foods. If you want a specific food list for cleansing, check into any cleansing book and they will list the foods specifically. Generally, it is avoiding heavy foods like red meat, wheat, dairy, fried foods, Soya products, dried fruit, etc. You would eat fresh fruits, fresh veggies, whole grains with the exception of wheat, some chicken or fish, etc. (Some veggies contraindicated when cleansing are tomatoes, potatoes, and the squash family. Dried fruit is usually a no-no too.) Any condiments you use would be very simple like flax oil, olive oil, apple cider vinegar, sea salt, etc.

The idea is to eat easily digestible foods so as to “free-up” the eliminative organs such as the liver, kidney, skin, lungs, colon, and lymphatic system, so that they can spend more time detoxifying and less time digesting. (Some of these organs aren’t directly digesting food, but do help in the processing part of digestion). A juicer is also recommended, though a basic cleanse can be done without this.

With these things in mind, let me run through a few ways you can accomplish a health cleanse and detox. (Please ask you naturopathic doctor to select an appropriate cleanse / detox for you).

IF YOU ARE TAKING PRESCRITION MEDICATION, PLEASE TALK TO YOUR MEDICAL DOCTOR / NATUROPATH BEFORE ATTEMPTING ANY CLEANSES!

TYPES OF DETOXIFICATION

•   PLAN A: Fast for half days with fresh vegetable and fruit juices. Then eat lightly in the latter part of the day. For example, brown rice or millet with fish or chicken and a salad. Have a variation of this for supper or have a few glasses of fresh juice from your juicer.

•   PLAN B: Juice with veggie and fruit juices all day (take your juice 1½ to 2 hours apart) with 4 to 6 fibre drinks ½ hour between juices. A mixture of a high quality psyllium mixture and ground flax seed is excellent for cleansing. It aids the removal of toxins from the intestines. A word of caution here — if you have never done a fast before, do not attempt this without doing the ½ day fast first. Also, for fasting, going on to the fast and coming off the fast must be equal to the number of days you are planning to fast. For example, if you plan to fast for three days, you would start eating fruits and veggies with easy to digest protein, like seeds, fish, etc., for three days before fasting. When you come off the fast, you must start with blended fruits and salads, and gradually work your way to easy-to-digest proteins for three more days, at least. Coming off of a cleanse is almost more important than the fast itself. It can “make” or “break” a fast. (Don’t do this on your own if you are on medication of any kind).

•   PLAN C: Use cleansing foods all day without any fasting. Pick from a cleansing food list to make up your menus a head of time. A sample menu would look like this: Breakfast: Ground almonds soaked over night in purified water. Have them with maple syrup. Lunch: Brown rice, chicken, salad with a flax oil or olive oil dressing. Dinner: Chicken breast, brown rice and veggies.

•   PLAN D: Juice fast on the weekends, while eating cleansing foods during the week.

Additional aids to cleansing would be:

1) Use herbs to help clean out the toxins from fatty tissues, the liver, colon, lymph, lungs, kidneys and skin. Herbs are quite necessary to really get the “junk” out of the body.

2) Grow wheat grass and juice it. Add it to your veggie and fruit juices. It is excellent for cleansing.

3) Eat cleansing foods that are in season if at all possible, and eat as much organic as possible.

4) Drink enough water to enhance the detoxification process. Water is the best solvent known to man. It will take toxins out of your body when nothing else can.

5) Use affirmations to help you stick to a cleanse. For example, “Hour by hour my body is purifying itself,” or “Every minute that I am fasting or cleansing, I am flushing dangerous poisons out of my wonderful body.”

•   PLAN E: CLEANSING PROGRAM BASED ON A RAW FOOD DIET PLAN

1) Eat all vegetables and fruits cleaned and RAW. Make sure a variety is eaten – smaller quantities of different foods rather than a lot of one or two foods.

2) Drink liquids one half-hour before and one hour after a meal. Avoid drinking during the meal. This tends to dilute the digestive enzymes, hence affecting the digestion and assimilation of food. Have small sips of liquid before your meal or with your meal.

3) Raw, unroasted and unsalted nuts, beans sprouts, and mild cooking spices (e.g. garlic used sparingly – basil, thyme, etc.) can be eaten. Hot and spicy seasonings (e.g. table salt, curry, black pepper, and hot peppers – should be used sparingly or avoided. Cayenne and red pepper may be used sparingly.

4) Do not mix vegetables with fruit in the same meal because they interfere with each other’s digestion. Wait an hour or two between each. Generally a food combining order with this program and with regular meals is: First: carbohydrates (starches such as breads, potatoes, carrots).?Second: proteins (beans and grains, meats, fish, tofu). Third: fats (dairy products, oils and creamy foods). This order is suggested because it is related to the speed of digestion.

5) Eat melons alone- this includes watermelon, winter melon, cantaloupe.

6) No sugar, candies, sweets, pastries, packaged snacks. Avoid using self – administered medications.

7) Over the day, keep fluids (water, vegetables and fruit juices mixed 50% with water) going through your body (unless you have real problems with fluid retention). You do not need to force fluid down but par attention to yourself and do not ignore your feelings of thirst. A juicer will give you real vegetable and fruit juice, and if used regularly, it will be well worth the cost.

8) If any food gives you indigestion or discomfort, record it and let clinician know. Do not eat those foods that cause problems fro now.

COMING OF THE RAW FOOD DIET

1. MOST IMPORTANTLY DO NOT OVER EAT.

2. DO NOT SPLURGE ON JUNK FOOD – EAT SENSIBILY

3. Gradually eat more of your usual food, but follow the guidelines or your common sense. You may prefer to avoid some of these usual foods or to eat less of them, e.g. red meats. If you have a question, ask your naturopathic doctor.

FOOD SENSITIVITY AND DETOXIFICATION

You may notice that while doing a detoxification plan, a lot of your health concerns may resolve naturally. These could be as a result of avoiding various foods that you might have a sensitivity / intolerance to. Food sensitivities can be related to allergies or other disturbances in your functioning. A simple way to monitor your self for “disagreeing” food is described below.

For the first week or two, after the detox diet, eat one new food per day. If you feel indigestion, get headaches, mood changes, constipation, bloating, eczema, a flushed feeling over your face or you feel uncomfortable after eating a food, avoid it for the time being, as your body does not agree with it.

Here is a list of natural foods that help the body cleanse naturally: Please talk to your naturopath before using any herbs as they can have various adverse effects if not taken correctly.

•   Artichokes – Contains plant compounds known as caffeoylquinic acids, which increase the flow of bile and help to digest fats.

•   Beets – Beets contain betaine, which promotes the regeneration of liver cells and the flow of bile. It also has a beneficial effect on fat metabolism.

•   Broccoli – Broccoli and other members of the brassica family (cabbage, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, kale, kohlrabi) support the liver’s detoxification enzymes.

•   Fresh Fruits and Vegetables – Food sources of vitamin C and glutathione, which are essential for detox.

•   Protein – Protein is required by the liver for detox. Beans, nuts, seeds, quinoa, protein powder. Some people may choose to eat fish in moderation.

•   Onions and Garlic – Rich in sulfur containing compounds. Involved in sulfation, the main detox pathway for environmental chemicals and certain drugs and food additives. Helps with the elimination of harmful heavy metals from the body.

By: Sushma Shah, Naturopathic Doctor, at the Nature’s Intentions Naturopathic Clinic.

Naturopathic Ways To Reduce And Treat Hypertension / High Blood Pressure

Healthy Me, , , , , , , ,

HYPERTENSION – HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE

Hypertension, or high blood pressure, is a serious condition that affects 50 million Americans – one in four adults. It is defined as an average systolic blood pressure above 140 mm Hg, a diastolic blood pressure above 90 mm Hg, or both. High blood pressure increases the risk of heart disease and stroke, the first and third most common causes of death among Americans.

In the early and middle adult years, men are more likely than women to develop the condition, but as men and women age, the reverse is true; more women older than the age of 55 have high blood pressure than men of the same age. While hypertension generally develops in people older than 20 years of age, more than half of all Americans over the age of 65 have the condition.

SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS

Most people who have high blood pressure do not know they have it because they generally experience no symptoms at all. Occasionally, some individuals may experience a mild headache when their blood pressure is high. Serious cases of hypertension, which happen infrequently, may produce the following symptoms:

•   Severe headache

•   Confusion

•   Nausea

•   Visual disturbances

•   Seizure

CAUSES

There are two major types of hypertension: essential (primary) and secondary. Essential hypertension is by far the most common, accounting for more than 95% of all cases. The cause of this form of hypertension is not known for certain, but is likely a combination of factors, including:

•   Genes for high blood pressure

•   Low levels of nitric oxide, a naturally occurring agent responsible for the dilation of blood vessels (African Americans are believed to have low levels of this substance)

•   Insulin resistance

•   Obesity

The causes of secondary hypertension include:

•   Kidney disorders

•   Endocrine disorders, such as Cushing’s syndrome

•   Obstructive sleep apnea (episodes during sleep when breathing stops due to obstruction of the air passages)

•   Stress

•   Chronic heavy alcohol consumption (accounts for 10% of cases of secondary high blood pressure)

•   Long-term use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), particularly in the elderly

•   Use of certain medications, including oral contraceptives, pseudoephedrine, hormone replacement therapy, and steroids

•   Heavy coffee drinking (5 or more cups per day), particularly in those who have previously had high blood pressure

•   Use of cocaine, nicotine, Ginseng or licorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra) can cause or worsen existing hypertension.

RISK FACTORS

The following factors increase an individual’s risk for high blood pressure:

•   Family history of hypertension

•   Alcohol abuse

•   High sodium intake

•   Inactive lifestyle

•   Being overweight

•   Mood disorders, particularly depression and anxiety (they may have a direct impact on blood vessels or they may lead to unhealthy behaviors such as alcohol and substance abuse or poor weight management)

Hypertension is more common among African Americans than Whites (this may be due to nitric oxide levels or to social factors such as chronic life stressors)

NATUROPATHIC HEALTH MODIFICATIONS TO HELP PREVENT HYPERTENSION:

1.   Maintaining a desirable weight

2.   Maintaining a normal body weight is one of the most effective ways to prevent high blood pressure. Weight reduction, therefore, in overweight individuals of any age should be a priority in the prevention of hypertension.

3.   Reducing salt intake

4.   Although population-based studies suggest a link between salt intake and prevalence of high blood pressure in particular groups of people (African Americans, for example), how each individual responds to sodium in his or her diet is quite variable. Since reducing dietary salt is generally considered safe, however, low-salt diets are recommended, particularly for those at risk for developing hypertension or heart disease.

5.   Increasing physical activity

6.   Several studies suggest that physically inactive people may be at an increased risk for developing hypertension. Moderate exercise, brisk walking, swimming, yoga and jogging may all be helpful in improving heart health and reducing the risk of hypertension.

7.   Limiting alcohol consumption

8.   Limit your alcohol intake to no more than two drinks per day.

9.   Eating a diet rich in fruits and vegetables.

10. People who consume vegetarian diets have significantly lower blood pressure than those who do not.

11.  Keep your cholesterol under control.

LIFESTYLE MODIFICATIONS TO TREAT HYPERTENSION / HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE

The same lifestyle modifications that help prevent hypertension are useful in treating it. The following steps are recommended for people with hypertension, regardless of whether they are taking prescription medications.

•   Lose weight if overweight.

•   Limit alcohol intake to no more than 1 oz. of ethanol per day for men (this roughly equals 2 pints of beer, 2 glasses of wine, or 2 shots of 100-proof whiskey) and 0.5 oz. for women and lighter-weight individuals.

•   Increase and maintain aerobic physical activity (30 to 40 minutes most days per week).

•   Reduce salt intake to less than 2,400 mg sodium or 6,000 mg sodium chloride per day.

•   Improve overall cardiovascular health by quitting smoking and reducing saturated fat and cholesterol intake.

•   Reduce stress—since ongoing stressful circumstances, such as job dissatisfaction, may contribute to the development of hypertension, stress management may lower elevated blood pressure.

By: Sushma Shah, Naturopathic Doctor, at the Nature’s Intentions Naturopathic Clinic.

Processed And Allergic Foods

Healthy Me,

My theory is that the more processed a food is, the higher the chances that the individual who consumes it will be allergic / intolerant to it. Take milk for example – 2 out of every 3 kids I see at the clinic is intolerant to milk! Industrialization has brought with it methods to process milk down to its bare components (I mean 2% fat component or less – not the way nature intended it for sure).

Anyways, so when one drinks this composition (called milk) of concentrated, isolated, purified components in milk, no wonder they become intolerant to it – our bodies were not designed to intake and utilize concentrated forms of mechanically processed components – we might as well take food or in this case milk in a pill form! I wonder if people drinking fresh milk laden with cream would have the same intolerance / reaction called lactose intolerance to it. How compromising!

By: Sushma Shah, Naturopathic Doctor, at the Nature’s Intentions Naturopathic Clinic.

Suggestions For Improving Your Digestion

Healthy Me,

Here are a few suggestions to improve your digestion:

•   Eat slowly and chew your food properly

•   Concentrate on the textures, colors and the types of food you are eating

•   Do not sip any water while having your meals, if you like you can have some sips of fresh fruit/ vegetable juice

•   In the morning have ½ lemon with 1 glass of warm water, a pinch of cayenne pepper and 1 tsp of olive oil mixed in

By: Sushma Shah, Naturopathic Doctor, at the Nature’s Intentions Naturopathic Clinic.

Why Is Our Weight Loss Program So Different

Healthy Me, , , , , , , ,

The majority of the weight loss programs are based on generic weight loss pills, crazy crash diets and exercise, however, what if you have tried all that and still not lost the weight… this is where we can help you as we provide holistic healing that combines the mental, emotional and physical aspect of you as an individual.

Why is our Toronto Weight Loss Program so different? Firstly you would have to come in for an initial assessment which includes a blood and urine test, and our naturopath may also recommend additional tests such as thyroid tests, adrenal function tests for stress, hormone tests, and food intolerance tests, among others depending on your specific reasons for being unable to loose weight or maintain the weight loss.

We will then provide a full physical exam as well. Our naturopath’s holistic treatments will be based on your comprehensive intake, tests and various forms, and our treatment plans are not a life long commitment, after the initial assessment and physical, we will provide your treatment plan based on natural therapies – such as nutrition, diet and lifestyle changes and specific natural supplements that address your situation.

Unlike weight loss clinics which tend to provide generic pills and diets for everyone, our naturopathic treatment is based on your symptoms and your health, once you have achieved your ideal weight, you will be able to maintain it without the need to pills etc. as you will be working with a healthy lifestyle change that is individualized to you.

I do not encourage starving crash diets, as they only make things worse, especially if your weight gain come after a stressful situation so the last thing you need to do is stress your body again with crazy diets.

By: Sushma Shah, Naturopathic Doctor, at the Nature’s Intentions Naturopathi Clinic

Allergies Versus Sensitivities

Healthy Me, , , , , , ,

In Canada, we have three allergy seasons that are related to the environment:

1. The Early spring allergy season which is driven by tree pollens beginning in March or April, and lasting until mid-June.

2. Late spring / early summer allergy season caused by grass pollens: from late May until mid-July or even early August.

3. Last but not the least the ”TRUE HAY FEVER SEASON” late summer / early autumn — from mid-August until the first frost –which is primarily attributed to ragweed and other “weed” species.

We also have something called the Perennial allergic rhinitis, which occurs year-round, is triggered by common household allergens such as dust mites, animal dander, and mold.

There are various approaches to treating allergies using various sprays, pills and creams, however the best approach is the natural one- which basically focuses on improving the ”hyperactive” immune system, which is usually imbalanced in people who have allergies.

The natural approach also focuses on natural methods to improve overall immune function and health, and tone done the up-regulated immune system, hereby reducing your allergenic response to otherwise harmless proteins.

By: Sushma Shah, Naturopathic Doctor, at the Nature’s Intentions Naturopathic Clinic.

Arthritis And Foods

Healthy Me, , ,

Quite often I see patients in the clinic suffering from various types of arthritis, and majority say that they get flare ups quite often during this hot and humid weather. When i ask them more detailed questions about their arthritis and ask them if they see a connection with the coincidence of flare ups and what food they ate the night or day before, majority cannot recall if there is a connection.

Here is one for all the arthritis sufferers out there: if you are suffering from flare ups for no apparent reason, look at the foods you are eating. Especially for rheumatoid arthritis sufferers, try to avoid the night shade family vegetables (green peppers, egg plants, tomatoes and potatoes) – these foods tend to make the inflammation in the body worse.

Also pay close attention to any other foods that could potentially be worsening your symptoms and if you are still unable to pinpoint what foods are causing the symptoms to get worse, it might be worth investing in the food Igg screen test which helps determine what foods you, specifically are reacting to.

Other parameters you want to look at are stress. A lot of times I find clients getting flare ups after stressful events, hence learn some techniques to help you ease the stress and improve the body’s ability to deal with stress, go for a swim or yoga or massage, alternatively learn some deep breathing techniques or relaxation methods.

Homeopathic remedies may help ease the pain and swelling in joints related to humid weather, ruta may help with bone pain, however you are much better of seeing a naturopath or homeopath for your specific remedy for your symptoms.

Some nut and fish oils are great as natural anti-inflammatory, along with ginger and turmeric powder.

Having more of a vegetarian diet would be quite beneficial initially to help reduce the inflammatory burden on the body as well.

By: Sushma Shah, Naturopathic Doctor, at Nature’s Intentions Naturopathic Clinic.

General Detoxification Tips

Healthy Me, , ,

There are various types of detox available in the market such as kidney flushes and liver flushes and quite often i have patients who ask me what the best detox is and when is it a right time to do a detox? Generally speaking, the best times to do a detox are Spring and Fall, however since we are exposed to various toxins all year long, anytime is a good time.

Bear in mind that the majority of the detoxification products available on the market are general and not specific, and can do more harm than good in certain instances, hence talk to your health care provider before starting one as they can best determine if the timing is ideal for the cleanse or detox you are interested in doing. Here are here are some detoxification tips all of us can benefit from:

Tips for Spring Detoxification

•   Drink plenty of water (at least 8 glasses/day).

•   Add half a lemon to a warm glass of water with a pinch of cayenne pepper and ½ tsp of olive oil and enjoy it first thing in the morning.

•   Eat your salads and greens – they provide you with lots and lots of live enzymes and minerals and also help detoxify heavy metals from the body.

•   If you haven’t eaten fruit and vegetables on a regular basis, start to eat a lots of fruit, your body will detoxify itself first. Even if you do not change your use of stimulants (coffee, sugar and nicotine).

•   Steam bath to remove heavy metals: Using 1/2 cup of baking soda or 1/2 cup of sea salt. Soak for 15-20 minutes and then scrub the skin gently with soap on a loofah / face towel. Within a few minutes the water will turn murky and “dirty” due to heavy metals coming out of the skin, including aluminum and mercury. Do this once a week during detox and once a month for maintenance.

•   Exercise regularly, for at least 20 minutes. Partner up with a friend or family member if motivation is a problem. Go for a brisk walk or jog, or try something different like a spinning class or Yoga!

By: Sushma Shah, Naturopathic Doctor, at Nature’s Intentions Naturopathic Clinic.

Successful Weight Loss In Women

Healthy Me, , ,

I have often found that the biggest problem with weight loss for most women is not actually about losing the weight, but is getting organized and pre-planning meals. I find that with lots of my clients, once we have narrowed down exactly what they should be eating as far as their health is concerned, weight loss is the fastest for women who tend to plan and prepare their meals and exercise schedules ahead of time.

For instance, with some of my clients, I found that if they had a schedule that they prepared and stuck it where they could see it daily, with a goal weight – say an actual number with regards to their weight, may be a pound lighter at the end of each week, they were more likely to reach that goal easily than someone who didn’t. So women, here is a simple tip to safe and effective weight loss – PLAN A SCHEDULE WITH MEALS AND EXERCISE AND STICK TO IT!

By: Sushma Shah, Naturopathic Doctor, at Nature’s Intentions Naturopathic Clinic.

Treating Constipation Naturally

Healthy Me, , , , ,

People suffering from constipation often tend to do various cleanses and diets, which seem to find helpful for a few days or months and then their symptoms of gas, bloating and constipation recur. The thing that I have found to be most beneficial for my patients is determining what exactly is causing the constipation – usually we find the cause is the foods that they have been eating and not tolerating well or they have diets which is are high in carbohydrates such as breads and pastas, or they are not drinking enough water or they have too much stress in life, once all these issues are addressed- from determining what foods people are intolerant through specific blood tests and changing their diet and lifestyle and teaching them proper techniques for stress management, the issue of constipation is generally RESOLVED!

By: Sushma Shah, Naturopathic Doctor, at Nature’s Intentions Naturopathic Clinic.