Let’s Learn about Toxins and Exposure

Greetings, below you will find a video where I talk about Toxins and Exposure. Everyone unfortunately is exposed and I talked about my journey with toxic overload and just how I was able to control some of what I was subjected to in regards to exposure. I’ve learned a great deal along this journey with both being diagnosed with Lyme Disease, other family members health battles and now being a National Board-Certified Health and Wellness Coach.

Check out the video and I hope that you can learn a few things and start doing your own research. I challenge you to start making changes even if it’s just one simple thing you can do in your household to lower toxins and exposure. Peace, love and light.

Detoxifying Your Body from Your Kitchen Cabinets Part 2!

In February I wrote part 1 which you can review here. Detoxing is not just a fad but people truly benefit from getting their body clean on the inside. With all of the allergens, sudden intolerances like gluten, chronic illnesses, toxins, environmental changes and the amount of steroids and antibiotics that are used on animals and viruses, it’s a wonder we are still standing. Below are some more ways you can detox your body right from your kitchen cabinets  affordably and the end result is great! You have more energy, better circulation (blood flow), some people lose weight, you’re assisting your organs, cells and even nerves with becoming stable and healed. The one thing I caution people is that not everything is for everyone. Start off slow and see what works well. If you feel a little fatigued, find yourself going to the bathroom a little more frequently…that is okay. Your body is purging out the nasty stuff. As always before you start detoxing to please consult with your medical provider or doctor. I am not an MD and what I am sharing has worked for me and many others. By no ways is this medical advice (that is my disclaimer). Some people are on medications and have to be careful with detoxing. Slow and steady wins the race but please…consult your doctor.

Garlic:

Garlic bulbs

I always loved garlic but never knew until several years ago all of the cleansing and healing properties in it. So what is in garlic to make it so powerful? Garlic contains a compound called Allicin, which has potent medicinal properties. Allicin is an organic sulfur compound. It assists with blood circulation as it is a natural blood thinner and is known to reduce high blood pressure and assists with giving you a good cholesterol level. It’s a natural antibiotic as it boosts your immune system, clears out germs and thins out fluids (like mucus). When I was diagnosed with Candida (a type of yeast) at one point I tried an antibiotic (Diflucan). It didn’t work well for me at all. It made me feel sick to my stomach. After about a month of using it, I discontinued it and consulted my nutritionist. She advised me to try garlic cloves (minced and taken either with food or I used to just swallow a minced clove with some almond butter to hide the taste) and a garlic supplement like Alli-Ultra, Allimax, Allicin, etc and to watch the carbs and sugars. My last test I had I was negative for Candida as garlic is now a part of my daily diet. I also had fungal outbreak on my hands at one point and while increasing my dosage of garlic, that too cleared up. (Garlic fights fungus).

Lastly it is also packed with anti-oxidants and at high doses, the sulfur compounds in garlic have been shown to protect against organ damage from heavy metal toxicity.

If you’re on blood thinners using a lot of garlic isn’t recommended or if you’re on blood pressure medication. Please consult with your doctor.

Ginger:

Ginger Root

Ever feel motion sickness or just plain nauseous? Drink some ginger root tea or grate some ginger and add to food, salads, smoothies or chew on it with something sweet and suddenly you will feel a whole lot better! It also helps with gas, that feeling of being bloated, that gurgling sound your stomach likes to make on occasion in the middle of a meeting or quiet work space. It has anti-inflammatory properties so it even helps out with colds, stuffy noses, achy joints and some people add it to their everyday diet to assist with the digestive track. It is also known to assist with inner ear disturbance. I bought some ginger for about $3.00 in the grocery store and it lasted me a little over a week.

Ginger is known as the wonder spice! It helps with the absorption of important nutrients so when you eat or take supplements it won’t just leave your body. You will feel better and refreshed after adding ginger to your life. It’s not the most attractive looking thing as you can see in the picture above but it is worth it.

Aloe Vera:

Aloe Vera Plant

Aloe Vera is great for your skin and hair, but did you know if taken internally it can help clear your body of toxins and with things such as irritable bowel syndrome? Aloe Vera contains anti-fungal and antiviral properties. By drinking some Aloe Vera juice you can aid your immune system. According to the healthy eating website, Aloe Vera helps to balance the immune system to reduce the effects of seasonal allergies, rheumatoid arthritis and other inflammatory immune disorders. It reduces inflammation and helps with colitis and leaky gut syndrome. A word of caution…too much can cause diarrhea. Sometimes too much of a good thing can lead to side effects. They sell Aloe Vera juice in Trader Joes, Whole Foods, MOM’s and other health food places and online. You can get a nice size bottle for under $11.00 and it can last you 1-2 weeks.

A healthy diet is key as well as working out, staying active, creating peace (maybe through meditation, breathing techniques, prayer, etc) and connecting with a higher power (it’s not just a physical thing). You want to make sure you’re mentally, emotionally and spiritually intact. Always seek out the advice of your doctor before trying things out and/or a health practitioner such as a nutritionist or holistic practitioner before detoxing. Stay healthy and well my friends and be happy! Thanks for stopping by and tune in next time for some more health and wellness tips.

References:

Maryland University of Health

Kris Carr (www.crazysexylife.com)

Georgetown University Hospital—Department of Neurology

Detoxifying Your Body from Your Kitchen Cabinets Part 1

Blessings everyone! I decided to finally post helpful blogs that can assist you in your wellness journey! I write for other online magazines and blogs and decided to share with all of you right here on my blog! Here is part 1 to Detoxifying Your Body from Your Kitchen Cabinets.

Remember to speak with your doctor about any detoxification methods. I am simply sharing information from what I have learned and if you would like to talk more about this process then you can book a health and wellness coaching appointment with me here. Cheers!

Detoxing from Your Kitchen Part 1!

On this healing journey I’ve been on I have learned a lot of great and affordable ways to detox the body by getting toxins flushed out, adding in anti-inflammatory agents, cooking with different oils, eating healthier, etc. Some remedies are right in our kitchens or can be found easily in a grocery store for under $10.00. Here are a few things that I use and researched.

Lemons:

Lemons actually help your digestive system and a great way to flush/cleanse the liver. The great health benefits of lemons are that they are anti-bacterial, anti-viral, packed with vitamin C, calcium, magnesium and a solid immune booster! One lemon can cost a mere .58 cents in some places! You can use them in water, tea, salad dressing, squeeze some on your food such as chicken and even put some of the lemon juice in your bath water.

I squeeze a slice of lemon in a glass of warm water first thing in the morning along with apple cider vinegar and some stevia. It flushes out toxins and gives my body a boost for the day! Lemons also help alkalize your body (proper pH level). Other benefits to lemons include:

  • Helps with acne
  • Lemon balm helps with anxiety
  • Keeps body tissue supple
  • Reduces inflammation which helps fight off diseases and strengthens bone
  • Also use lemon water to get rid of canker sores
  • It’s also a natural mouthwash.

Coconut Oil:

There are over 100 ways you can use coconut oil but I won’t list them all. A lot of people know this oil for hair conditioning as it helps replenish damaged hair and roots and is great for your scalp as well. It’s great for skin care (really helps with dry skin and eczema), assists with stress relief, cholesterol level maintenance, weight loss, boosted immune system, proper digestion, assists with glucose levels and regulated metabolism.

Coconut oil has a different kind of acid in it called lauric. Your body converts lauric acid into monolaurin, which is helpful in dealing with viruses and bacteria that cause diseases such as herpes, influenza, cytomegalovirus, and even HIV. It also has capric acid and caprylic acid which have antifungal, anti-microbial anti-viral properties. It’s a great fatty acid as well and packed with Vitamin E, K and iron. Also fatty acids help with brain function and stimulation. I would suggest buying organic virgin coconut oil. Add it to smoothies, cook with it, take a spoon full and eat it. If you want to really get rid of bacteria from your mouth and other areas of your body take a spoon full (melted), put it in your mouth and swish it around. The goal is to do that for 20 minutes but start off slow. Some people can only get to 5 minutes because it begins to taste sour (that is all the gunk and bacteria). Then spit it out in the sink and rinse your mouth with water.

Lastly, Coconut Oil is a great way to combat yeast (such as Candida). I was once put on an antibiotic called Diflucan for Candida. It did nothing for me so I stopped taking it. I then switched to adding garlic pills into my daily regiment and added in coconut oil to smoothies or would just eat 3-4 teaspoons a day. Within a week I started to notice a difference (my hands were severely broken out before this routine) and within a month they were practically cleared up. Coconut oil is truly a natural wonder!

Turmeric/Curcumin:

When people hear turmeric or curcumin they think seasoning for food. But what some don’t know are the many healing & medicinal properties in this herb/spice. This herb has been used in places like India for centuries. Curcumin is the main active ingredient in turmeric. It has powerful anti-inflammatory effects and is a very strong antioxidant. You can use it on your food, salads or digest it by buying turmeric tablets, buying the extract or just mixing some of the powder in water and drinking it. No that is not the best way as the taste with water isn’t the best but it gets into your system. Turmeric is a potent antioxidant that can neutralize free radicals by blocking them and then increasing your body’s antioxidant enzymes to fight them off. It also helps with brain function as well.

One of my main symptoms that I struggled with was shortness of breath due to Lyme Disease. By adding in turmeric to my diet by taking pills and/or using the powder with water would relieve the symptom and after a while I didn’t have this horrid symptom every day. It helped clear my airways and of course knocked the free radicals out the box!

These are just a few things you can start doing. If you’re unsure of something then always consult your doctor, a nutritionist, or any practitioner that you trust about detoxification. You can also book a health and wellness coaching appointment with me here. Let’s walk this wellness journey together.

As mentioned above, use some of these items with caution. Slow and steady wins the race. You don’t want to detox your body too fast because it could make you feel ill. Stay tuned for more affordable and easy ways to detox through foods, herbs and more with part 2 next month. Stay healthy and be well.

References:

Maryland University of Health

Kris Carr (www.crazysexylife.com)

Natural Awakenings Magazine

The Institute of Multidimensional Medicine