Monday, April 22, 2019

Detoxification and what happens to your body during this time.

What Happens to the Body During Detox?

Nobody likes uninvited guests. This includes toxins and pollutants such as heavy metals and pesticides from the air, water, and soil that bombard our bodies every day. Over time, these “guests” can build up and can contribute to mild issues such as brain fog, tiredness, aches, and skin complaints.1,2 This is when it is important to understand the three phases of your body’s natural detoxification processes. Here’s what that looks like:

Phase I: Reaction 

In the first phase of metabolic detoxification, your body reacts to toxins by using enzymes (known as P450 enzymes)3 that act to turn the toxins into free radicals. This is a good thing: Free radicals are a natural occurrence that, when balanced, should not be an issue; it is when free radicals become imbalanced that they are considered an issue. Through this conversion process, toxins become water-soluble molecules that are easier for your body to get rid of via the kidneys (and eventually through the urine).3

Phase II: Neutralization

Welcome to the activation phase of detox! After Phase I, some toxins are rendered as more reactive than before. In Phase II, these products are attached to other water-soluble substances to increase their solubility and make them easier to eliminate through urine or bile.3 This process is called a conjugation reaction, and requires cofactors (metal ions or coenzymes) to make it happen.3

Phase III: Transportation

Like a ferry that brings cars and people from Point A to Point B, the transporters of Phase III help ensure the water-soluble compounds created in Phases I and II are excreted from your cells. Before this occurs, Phase III neutralizes the compounds and binds them with dietary fiber. From here, it’s literally a flush when the toxins are excreted.3
References:
  1. Goldman RH et al. The occupational and environmental health history. 1981 Dec 18;246(24):2831-6.
  2. Nelson et al. 2011.
  3. Liska D. The Detoxification Enzyme Systems. Altern Med Rev.1998 Jun;3(3):187-98.
  4. Infographic: The 3 Phases of Detoxification. Metagenics Institute. Available at: https://www.metagenicsinstitute.com/ce-education/clinical-tools/3-phases-detoxification. Accessed August 30, 2018.

9 Ways to detox your life

9 Ways to Detox Your Life


There’s been plenty of buzz in recent years around the word “detox,” but your body is not the only thing that can be exposed to toxins. Your whole way of life might be exposing you to emotional toxicity, too.
We take the trash out from our homes on a regular basis. This allows us to discard what’s no longer useful and keep our living spaces clean and pleasant. If we neglect this responsibility, the consequences are hard to ignore: overflowing waste baskets, unpleasant odors, and possibly the invasion of pests!
Unfortunately, emotional garbage is not so easy to detect. Bad habits, negative thoughts, toxic people, and unhealthy situations can overwhelm your personal space and accumulate clutter in your mind. Over time, both internal and external stressors cause your mental waste bin to become full. If you aren’t careful to filter out what you don’t need, that waste bin can overflow—and lead to a very unhealthy life!
There are plenty of ways to minimize toxicity in your life. Consider these nine steps to start reducing stressors today.
1. Change your self-talk
What are you thinking about right now? What did you think about when you first woke up? Believe it or not, your answers say a lot about you and your health.1Your thought patterns are an integral part of your overall wellbeing. Over time, repeated thought patterns influence behavior and beliefs.1 When your thoughts are mostly negative, it can feel like you’re stuck on a “not-so-merry”-go-round.

Remind yourself, too, that you can’t always trust your own thoughts to be impartial. Sometimes you have to hit the pause button, take some deep breaths, and talk yourself off the ledge. And that’s okay. To break free from a negative thought spiral, try a relaxing, rejuvenating activity (e.g., read a book, practice yoga, tend to your garden, or listen to a favorite record) to lift your spirits and get your mind focused on something new.
2. Reevaluate your habits 
We all have bad habits. Some habits are relatively benign, like biting your nails or smacking your lips when you chew. But others, like hitting the snooze button, comparing yourself to other people, and picking fights with friends or partners, can actually be toxic to your wellbeing.
The first step toward improvement is self-awareness. To start, make a list of your habits and mark an X next to the not-so-good ones. As you build your self-discipline, remember to be patient with yourself. Studies say it can take about two months (not 21 days) to make or break a habit!2
3. Walk away from bad relationships
Good friendships matter. In fact, research conducted over a ten-year period found that individuals with a stronger network of friends were 22% more likely to outlive their lonelier counterparts.But where good friendships can support your health, bad ones can do just the opposite.
Pay attention to how you feel after hanging with certain people. If you’re always left feeling distressed in one way or another, it may be best to start distancing yourself from them. Don’t feel obligated to keep up friendships (or romantic partners) that cost you your mental and emotional sense of peace.
4. Disconnect from social media
Social media is a double-edged sword. On one hand, it helps us stay connected with friends and family. On the other hand, it’s a hotbed of competition, comparison, and drama. Taking a break from social media can clear mental clutter and help you focus on the here and now.
Evaluate your feelings after using Facebook, Instagram, or any other social network, then ask yourself why you feel this way. It’s a good idea to delete or unfollow highly negative people or those who stir up bad feelings whenever you visit their pages or see their posts. Doing this can spare you those negative emotions and allow you to focus your energy on more positive things.
If nothing else, social media can be a real time killer. The time you save on scrolling could mean more time spent on hobbies or with loves ones.
5. Downsize your wardrobe 
Clothes are a necessity and a fun way to express personal style. Unfortunately, they are also an easy thing to hoard. Physical clutter can lead to mental clutter. If sartorial clutter has taken over your bedroom, you may be in need of a closet purge.
The clothes you wear can affect your mood and your confidence, so it’s important that you feel good in them. Are any of your duds, well…a dud? Find out by doing a quick survey of every item in your wardrobe. Ask yourself: Would I feel good wearing this tomorrow or to an upcoming event? If the answer is no, it may be time to let it go. If you choose to donate, you can feel good knowing that your preloved apparel might work equally well for someone new.
6. Reorganize your workspace
While the importance of keeping a clean home seems like a no-brainer, your work area can be an easy thing to neglect—until you find it’s covered in “organized” piles of paper and old business cards. According to science, a clean, organized workspace can boost productivity. In fact, a Harvard study found that students who worked in a tidier environment remained focused for 7 ½ minutes longer than messier students, who were more likely to experience frustration and weariness.4
Giving your desk or workspace a weekly once-over means you are less likely to be invaded by dust bunnies and more likely to check items off your to-do list.
7. Turn off the TV
It’s easier than ever to get hooked on television. The average American adult watches five hours of TV per day (wow!), and about 50 percent of Americans use some kind of streaming service—a number that’s been steadily rising.5
As statistics show, what we spend much of our free time doing is more passive than active, and that mindset may spill over into other areas of life. Although entertainment is not all bad, moderation may be the best approach to screen time. Increased television watching is associated with lower physical and mental vitality and may be linked to chronic health conditions.6,7
If this feels relevant for you, consider cutting your quality time with the tube by a small amount each day. Replace that time with a physical activity or creative hobby, which—according to research—can promote overall wellbeing.
8. Reassess your diet
The benefits of a balanced diet go beyond your physical body. It can also make you feel good mentally. Eating foods rich in vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants can protect your brain from oxidative stress, support brain function, and help stabilize your mood.9 There’s also plenty of evidence showing that when your body is low in certain essential nutrients, such as vitamin D and omega-3s, it can negatively impact mental health.10,11 If you’re stuck in a funk, your diet may be playing a role.
To help combat those blues and support your health, start by incorporating wholesome snacks into your day, like nuts, fruit, or string cheese, and eat plenty of nutrient-dense greens whenever possible. Stock your fridge or pantry with things you enjoy that won’t make you feel guilty. And to set yourself up for success, rid your kitchen of sugary, greasy snack foods so you won’t be tempted to indulge.
9. Keep a journal
Had a bad day? Feeling low but you don’t know why? Write about it! Reading what you wrote a few days later may give insights on things that can be reduced or eliminated to avoid future bad or unhappy days.
Writing is one of the best ways to release bad feelings. Writing down your thoughts can feel just as good as venting to a friend. And because your thoughts are recorded in one place, it’s much easier to pick up on patterns in your thoughts and behavior—helping you prioritize problems, identify triggers, and work through anxious feelings.12 Anyone can do it!
When life gets too complicated, wellbeing silently suffers. And though we all have different thresholds for toxic overload, most of us could benefit from taking some steps to detox our lives as well.
References:
  1. Mayo Clinic. Positive thinking: Stop negative self-talk to reduce stress. https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/stress-management/in-depth/positive-thinking/art-20043950. Accessed October 18, 2018.
  2. Lally P et al. Eur J Soc Psychol. 2009. Available at: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/ejsp.674. Accessed October 18, 2018.
  3. Giles LC et al. Effect of social networks on 10 year survival in very old Australians: the Australian longitudinal study of aging. J Epidemiol Community Health. 2002;59(7).
  4. Chae B, Zhu R. Why a Messy Workspace Undermines Your Persistence. Harvard Business Reviewhttps://hbr.org/2015/01/why-a-messy-workspace-undermines-your-persistence. Accessed October 30, 2018.
  5. Koblin J. How Much Do We Love TV? Let Us Count the Ways. The New York Timeshttps://www.nytimes.com/2016/07/01/business/media/nielsen-survey-media-viewing.html. Accessed October 18, 2018.
  6. Shiue I. Modeling indoor TV/screen viewing and adult physical and mental health: Health Survey for England, 2012. Environ Sci Pollut Res Int. 2016;23:11708–11715.
  7. Harvard School of Public Health. Prolonged television viewing linked to increased risk of type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and premature death. Harvard T.H. Chanhttps://www.hsph.harvard.edu/news/press-releases/tv-diabetes-cardiovascular-disease-premature-death/. Accessed October 31, 2018.
  8. Conner TS et al. Everyday creative activity as a path to flourishing. J Posit Psychol. 2018;13(2).
  9. Selhub E et al. Nutritional psychiatry: Your brain on food. Harvard Health Publishing. https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/nutritional-psychiatry-your-brain-on-food-201511168626. Accessed October 18, 2018.
  10. Sathyanarayana Rao TS et al. Understanding nutrition, depression and mental illnesses. Indian J Psychiatry. 2008;50(2):77–82.
  11. Roca M et al.Prevention of depression through nutritional strategies in high-risk persons: rationale and design of the MooDFOOD prevention trial. BMC Psychiatry. 2016;16:192.
  12. Ballas P et al. Journaling for Mental Health. University of Rochester Medical Center. https://www.urmc.rochester.edu/encyclopedia/content.aspx?ContentID=4552&ContentTypeID=1. Accessed October 31, 2018.

Three phases of detoxification...

When we talk about physical detoxification, we talk about 3 phases of detoxification....


A healthy intestine provides a barrier against many toxins. A healthy gut helps to eliminate toxins before they can be transported to the liver. Unfortunately, unhealthy intestinal function prevents effective detoxification. As shown in this infographic, ingested toxins and toxins formed as metabolic by-products of an unhealthy microbiota can leak through a weakened intestine and are transported to the liver. This can result in systemic accumulation and re-circulation of metabolic toxins and contribute to chronic adverse health conditions.
The three phases of healthy detoxification are:
  • The generation of water-soluble intermediaries
  • The neutralization of toxic water-soluble intermediaries
  • The excretion of the neutralized intermediaries.
Preventing unhealthy detoxification function begins with reducing our exposure to toxins. Keep a clean work and home environment, wear protective gear when using toxic and/or chemical substances, and eat healthy, unprocessed foods whenever possible.

View Infographic


Spring Cleaning....

Spring ushers in the new. It signals the end of winter and brings in new flowers, buds etc. Spring is the awakening of all that laid dormant during the winter. One must clear out the old to make way for the new. One must rejuvenate and remove the stagnant energy from our homes, our bodies and our lives. This can be achieved through a good detoxification program, spring cleaning your home and delving deep within yourself to clear out and move stagnant energy and feelings that you have carried and held for far too long.

Start with cleaning out your home and then help your body detox from the millions of toxins we ingest through our mouths, noses and skin. Be aware of the toxins that enter your body through your eyes, ears, thoughts and feelings.

For the body we recommend a wonderful detox shake to help fortify your detoxification pathways and organs in your body....https://nhh.nutridyn.com/dynamic-detox
https://nhh.nutridyn.com/clear-changer-10-day-program-with-ultraclearr-renew-vanilla

For the toxins that enter the eyes and ears we suggest a detox from social media, television and the news. Try to read an uplifting book, spend more time in nature, meditate and spend more time with loved ones and play more.
Pay attention to your toxic thoughts and feelings and find ways to resolve old hurts and disagreements. Change your thoughts and what you surround yourself with.
Allow your light and beauty to shine as your emerge from old patterns and ways of being into something fresh and new and promising. Let spring be the beginning of you blossoming and flourishing through summer.

Here is some more food for though on how to clean out your home...

Spring Cleaning

BY MADISYN TAYLOR
As you sweep away the clutter blocking the flow of energy in your home, you sweep away some of the issues blocking you in life.
As the last vestiges of winter depart, all of nature enters into a lively and animated state of renewal. In the springtime, earth's life energy is awakened from dormancy, and the cycle of life starts anew. We have the ability to sense this change taking place even before the seasonal flora around us blooms before our eyes. It is natural, therefore, that during spring many of us begin to feel the urge to clear away the clutter that has accumulated while we've enjoyed being sequestered in our winter nests. Now is the time to let the fresh breezes cleanse the energy in our homes.

Spring cleaning is traditionally a way to welcome a new season--one in which we open our doors and windows to let visitors and the sunshine in. It is also a way to remove stagnant energy from our homes in order to prepare our personal space for the positive, verdant energy of spring and summer. As you sweep away the dust and clutter that has blocked the flow of energy in your home, you inevitably sweep away some of the issues that may have been blocking you in your life. Intention is important, so before you begin cleaning, ask yourself what needs to be cleansed, what can be discarded, and how you can make your home a reflection of your best self. Then, gather your tools and supplies around you--vinegar mixed with water makes a wonderful natural cleanser, and putting everything you need in a bucket with a handle will make it easier to move your supplies around your home. Once you've begun spring cleaning, you may find that with each piece of clutter you discard and each item that you clean you begin feel increasingly energized. Divesting yourself of unnecessary possessions can help you regain clarity of mind while cleaning your windows can help you refocus your vision. As you clean, invite healing and vital energy into your home and heart.

When you've cleaned your home from top to bottom, create a floral arrangement with flowers from your garden, or buy a new plant at a farmers market. You may notice that your home feels newer, and brighter and full of new fresh energy. You also feel reawakened, rejuvenated, and alive. By cleansing your home, you can harness the vivacity and vigor of spring.
Reactions to life are often pre-programmed responses. What I mean by this is that we respond as we have been taught or as our experiences have taught us. We must become aware of our habitual responses and our pre-programming to be ale to change that. Many times we find it difficult to change these responses or behaviors even when we are aware of them. We must have a strong desire to change and the awareness to do so.

There are many modalities out there that can help us remove old patterns, energy and feelings and replace them with new, beneficial thinking. feeling and energy. I suggest utilizing the amazing array of tools now available to help s lead a fuller, healthier life. Some of these modalities are the different forms of energy balancing and healing (Reiki, healing touch, body alignment therapy, sound healing etc), EMDR, NLP, The emotion code, to mention just a few.
Moving our bodies and paying attention to how they feel and the energy tat moves trough them is a huge step in becoming more attuned to yourself.

Our Office specializes in many of the energy and emotional medicine that assists us in removing old blockages/patterns that o longer serve us in living a healthy full life or even the life we desire.
www.naturalhealthhaven.net

Here is a wonderful piece by Madisy Taylor that may help you understand what I am trying to say here....

Reactions to Life Events

BY MADISYN TAYLOR
Our past experiences, can and do, influence our emotional reactions and responses to present events.
Our experiences color everything. The events of the past can have a profound effect on how we see our lives now and what we choose to believe about our world. Our past experiences can also influence our emotional reactions and responses to present events. Each of us reacts to stimulus based on what we have learned in life. There is no right or wrong to it; it is simply the result of past experience. Later, when our strong feelings have passed, we may be surprised at our reactions. Yet when we face a similar situation, again our reactions may be the same. When we understand those experiences, we can come that much closer to understanding our reactions and consciously change them.

Between stimulus and reaction exists a fleeting moment of thought. Often, that thought is based on something that has happened to you in the past. When presented with a similar situation later on, your natural impulse is to unconsciously regard it in a similar light. For example, if you survived a traumatic automobile accident as a youngster, the first thing you might feel upon witnessing even a minor collision between vehicles may be intense panic. If you harbor unpleasant associations with death from a past experience, you may find yourself unable to think about death as a gentle release or the next step toward a new kind of existence. You can, however, minimize the intensity of your reactions by identifying the momentary thought that inspires your reaction. Then, next time, replace that thought with a more positive one.

Modifying your reaction by modifying your thoughts is difficult, but it can help you to see and experience formerly unpleasant situations in a whole new light. It allows you to stop reacting unconsciously. Learning the reason of your reactions may also help you put aside a negative reaction long enough to respond in more positive and empowered ways. Your reactions and responses then become about what's happening in the present moment rather than about the past. As time passes, your negative thoughts may lose strength, leaving only your positive thoughts to inform your healthy reactions.

Living life with Intent...

I know I keep sharing these pieces by Madisyn Taylor and it is because of how succinctly and easily she conveys these concepts and thoughts. I love to read them and they always seem to touch something within me, a recognition of a truth within myself.

I am constantly striving to live my life with intent, to be consciously aware of my actions and to be present in my day. Only in being present are we aware of our thoughts and the habits that we have around certain situations and circumstances and in the presence of the situation realization dawns and we have the power to change in that moment. In the moment we have the power to chose something different...to shift the energy.


Intent

BY MADISYN TAYLOR
When we live with intent, we own our actions; instead of habitually performing them.
We tend to associate the energy of intent with complicated or profoundly meaningful actions that require our full attention and effort in order to succeed. For example, walking a tightrope, taking a test, and taking a vow are all tasks that call us to be fully present and single-minded. However, intent can also be applied to everyday events, like eating breakfast or going to work. In fact, everything we do benefits from the presence of intent, which has the power to transform seemingly mundane tasks into profound experiences. You only have to try it to find out.

Intent is one of the cornerstones of the Zen tradition of Buddhism in which monks work for years to develop the stillness and sharpness of mind to do only one thing at a time. Most of the time we are doing one thing and thinking of something else, or even doing three things at the same time, such as talking on the phone, doing dishes, and boiling water for tea. There is nothing inherently wrong with multitasking, which seems necessary at times, especially in the midst of family life. However, balancing this with a healthy dose of intentional activity can provide valuable insight into the benefits of doing one thing at a time, being fully present with whatever the task at hand happens to be.

From the moment we wake up, we can apply intent to our situation by simply saying to ourselves, "I am aware that I am now awake." We can use this simple tool throughout our day, saying, "I am aware that I am driving to work." "I am aware that I am making dinner." Or even, "I am aware that I am breathing." As we acknowledge what we are doing in these moments, we come alive to our bodies and to the world, owning our actions instead of habitually performing them. We may realize how often we act without intention and how this disengages us from reality. Applying the energy of intent to even one task a day has the power to transform our lives. Just imagine what would happen if we were able to apply that power to our entire day.

Humanity....we are all one

I love the sentiment that Madisyn shares so eloquently in this piece. Our similarities are so much stronger than our differences. We all want the same things, joy, peace, love, laughter, acceptance and abundance.  Let us never forget our humanity and look at each other as fellow human beings and not as color or religion or geography or as insurmountably different.


Humanity

BY MADISYN TAYLOR
We are human, we are family - we all look at the same stars, we all laugh and cry, we all love.
When it comes to our families, we sometimes see only our differences. We see the way our parents cling to ideas we don't believe, or act in ways we try not to copy. We see how practical one of our siblings is and wonder how we can be from the same gene pool. Similarly, within the human family we see how different we are from each other, in ways ranging from gender and race to geographical location and religious beliefs. It is almost as if we think we are a different species sometimes. But the truth is, in our personal families as well as the human family, we really are the same.

A single mother of four living in Africa looks up at the same stars and moon that shine down on an elderly Frenchman in Paris. A Tibetan monk living in India, a newborn infant in China, and a young couple saying their marriage vows in Indiana all breathe the same air, by the same process. We have all been hurt and we have all cried. Each one of us knows how it feels to love someone dearly. No matter what our political views are, we all love to laugh. Regardless of how much or how little money we have, our hearts pump blood through our bodies in the same way. With all this in common, it is clear we are each individual members of the same family. We are human.

Acknowledging how close we all are, instead of clinging to what separates us, enables us to feel less alone in the world. Every person we meet, see, hear, or read about is a member of our family. We are truly not alone. We also begin to see that we are perfectly capable of understanding and relating to people who, on the surface, may seem very different from us. This awareness prevents us from disconnecting from people on the other side of the tracks, and the other side of the world. We begin to understand that we must treat all people for what they are--family.