Tag Archives: bloating

A Naturopathic Perspective On Body Cleansing And Detoxification

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Body detoxification and or cleansing are 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. Our bodies are exposed to various toxins regularly – in our foods, in the air we breathe, in our environments among other areas, while the body has a tremendous capacity to put up with junk, it does eventually break down and that is when the body starts to suffer from various symptoms of feeling sluggish, lack of energy, digestive issues such as bloating and constipation among other symptoms.

The body has four major organs for detoxification – these include skin – the largest detoxification organ, lungs, liver and kidneys. It is very important to pick the right type of detox program for efficient cleansing, as well, it is important that the detoxification organs are functioning well before doing any cleanses. The toxins will produce many metabolites when broken down, that need to be eliminated from the body and if the organs of detoxification are not working efficiently, this may cause an unwanted accumulation of toxin metabolites, which can be quite harmful for the body.

When doing a cleanse or a detoxification program, your schedule should ideally be free of commitments and excessive physical activity, allowing the body adequate time and resources of detoxify more efficiently. Health food stores carry all kinds of cleanses hence its quite confusing when it comes to picking the right kind of cleanse. The cleanses/ detox should be specific for your symptoms and your body, not the other way around. There are many options – candida cleanses, liver and gall bladder cleanses or flushes, colon cleanses, kidney cleanses, so which one should you pick? Talk to your naturopathic physician before starting any cleanse/ detoxification program, as they have in depth knowledge about different cleanses and what would be most suitable for your body without harming it. Think you need to do a detox? Please fill out the following detox questionnaire to see if you do need to do a cleanse or a body detox.

In terms of cleanses, it could be a fast or a specific program that you follow for a few days. It could also be in the form of an enema or colonic irrigation. Most fasts will allow you to eat while cleansing, but of course most cleanses come with restrictions in terms of what types of foods you can eat – most cleanses will allow fruits or vegetable intake, along with other easily digestible foods that would help with the detoxification process of the body as opposed to clogging it up more.

For more information on cleansing and detoxification, please click here.

IF YOU ARE TAKING PRESCRITION MEDICATION, PLEASE TALK TO YOUR NATUROPATHIC DOCTOR BEFORE ATTEMPTING ANY CLEANSES.

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

Benefits Of A Vegetarian Diet In The Summer

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1. FEEL MORECALMER, LESS ANXIOUS AND AGITATED

Whenever summer time rolls around, I see my neighbors prepping up their barbeques and grills for all the summer parties and beer fests they are going to have this year. I frequently wonder however would they be much calmer and their stomachs a lot happier if they were to grill vegetables and tofu rather than steaks and other fish and animal parts and organs? The answer to this question is ABSOLUTELY! It has been frequently observed that people who eat vegetarian diets tend to be somewhat calmer than heir meat-eating counterparts and less anxious.

How can vegetarianism lead to a calmer disposition?

The steroid hormones residues in red meat that are released when the animal is killed for our eating pleasures, which cannot be broken down by cooking, exert an effect not unlike the body’s own steroid hormone, activating natural defenses against stress and suppressing immunity as well, when the meat is eaten, the stress hormones that the animal released when it is faced with its own death, are released in your blood stream making you agitated and aggressive.

2. HAVE A BETTER ALKALINE – ACID BALANCE FOR THE BODY

Animal products such as meat, poultry, eggs, dairy and cheese and refined sugars and flour products are all acid forming foods. Acid forming foods are not necessarily acidic in nature but tend to form acid in the body once they are broken down, making the body very acidic. This affects the ability to digest food as it speeds up the rate of clearance or elimination of the food, which in turn will affect the absorption and assimilation of nutrients and vitamins from the food.

Starches require an alkaline environment for digestion. When the body is very acidic, the digestion of starches will be affected as well, causing unwanted flatulence and bloating. The absorption of certain vitamins especially B and C’s and minerals can be affected, which in turn can add to the body’s stress load causing low – grade malnutrition and undernourishment, as well. Liquid vitamins maybe a better option in general when it comes to vitamin and mineral absorption.

3. BREATHE EASIER BEING A VEGETARIAN OR VEGAN

Feeling congested or stuffy? One simple way to decrease mucus production is very simple… cut out the food items that are known to cause congestion in the respiratory tract- these foods would include any acid forming products especially meats and dairy products. The body has a natural buffer system that allows for pH buffering with bicarbonate ions. One of the protective mechanisms for the body against too much acid is to form more mucus to protect the gastrointestinal lining, along with the respiratory tract, both of which have a layer of  mucus membrane on the interior side that is exposed to food and foreign elements of any kind. Stress and the inability to digest proteins will create more mucus, hence feeling more congested and of course feels sluggish, tired or bogged down after eating. and have sinus issues or even asthma!

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

Treating Diverticulitis Naturally

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Diverticulitis is a condition where the diverticula are perforated and become infected and inflamed. Diverticula are little sac like pouches (grape or pea sized) that can protrude in the intestinal wall. Constipation sufferers generally suffer from these. Poor eating habits, smoking, stress, family history of diverticulitis, obesity, gall bladder disease increase the risk of this disease.  Having a diet that is low in fiber will generally contribute the formation of diverticulosis. Majority of the times, the patient is generally unaware of this condition, and are generally discovered during a colonoscopy. However, if they are infected or inflamed, the patient may experience cramping, indigestion, bloating or pain and tenderness in the lower left side of the abdomen depending on where they are located. Diverticulitis can be either acute or chronic.

The best way to keep them at bay or treat them is the natural way, as they are formed due to lifestyle and dietary factors. Some of the natural ways to treat or prevent these include:

1. Having a diet that is rich in fiber and lots of water. The daily required dosage for fiber is 25 – 30 grams per day. Most fruits and vegetables contains some amount of fiber so having a diet full of these will help you get the daily required dose of fiber. Remember that old saying – “an apple a day keeps the doctor away” – there is truth to that saying. Oat bran, ground flax and psyllium powder (not husks) are a good source of fiber as well, however, these can sometimes be gas forming. Drink at least 8 – 10 glasses of water a day to soften stools.

2. Having a diet full of leafy green vegetables and dark colored fruits would be ideal.

3. Having a low carb diet with good sources of protein and decreasing animal protein / meat from the diet or eliminating it entirely may be helpful in the long run to keep the colon healthy, as having polyps of any kind increases the risk of colon cancer, especially if your diet contains deli meat which is high in nitrates.

4. Nuts and seeds can also be problematic as they can be hard to digest, and quite often get stuck in the diverticuli, leading to pain, inflammation and eventually inflammation, so make sure if you have any they are ground up completely.

5. Not straining to get the bowel movement out as the forceful pressure applied can weaken the intestinal wall, leaving it susceptible to weakness, which in turn will increase risk or polyp formation and inflammation.

If you need more information, please call us at 416 913 4325 or visit our Naturopathic Clinic.

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

Treating Constipation Naturally

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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.