Detoxification is a Spring Thing
During spring, nature goes through the lovely process of renewal. Cleansing and detoxification is a gentle and effective way to bring the energy of renewal into our own lives. Spring cleaning is more than just detoxifying the body, it can also mean avoiding toxins in our thoughts and emotions, as well as our environment. Below are some gentle and safe ways to bring the energy of spring cleaning into your life, from the inside out.
Detoxification is Cleansing the Body
Our bodies are exposed to toxins on a daily basis from the air we breathe to the products we use. There are several body systems that help us eliminate these toxins such as our liver, our kidneys, and even our sweat. But, these systems can get overwhelmed and often need a little help and support. This is often referred to as doing a “detoxification”. Modern living can bring us into contact with so many toxins that everyone could use a good detox, especially in the spring!
Detoxification is the process of reducing the amount of toxins that we are exposed to in order to rest the detoxification pathways in the body, as well as encourage the release of toxins that are stored in the body. There are a variety of methods for detoxing the body. Most consist of resting the body by eliminating solid foods for a short time and instead consuming cleansing foods such as special broths, juices, teas, herbs or supplements. Supporting the metabolic pathways of the liver and kidneys are so important (see 14-Day Detox Program). After the cleansing period is over, a very clean diet is slowly reintroduced.
Several hidden factors can complicate a detox such as blood sugar issues, or if a person has been exposed to heavy metals or other dangerous toxins. It is important to seek the professional assistance of a for any detoxification.
Cleansing the Environment
A clean body will only benefit us so long without the support of a clean environment. There are several sources of toxins in our environment that need to be addressed. The most important is toxins in our food supply. It is important to be eating organic fruits and vegetables, organic meats, non-GMO whole grains, and limit processed foods as these contain dyes, flavor enhancers, preservatives, and other industrial chemicals. Clean water is also a must, including filtered water in non-toxic containers. Glass is the best storage container for water, followed by stainless steel, and BPA-free plastic.
Another area of toxic exposure is in our homes. Household cleaners, laundry products, lawn care chemicals, and bug sprays expose us to numerous chemicals and petroleum based toxins. Even cosmetics, perfumes, shampoos, face washes, deodorants, and toothpastes have chemicals that can disrupt our health. Health food stores offer environmentally-friendly, all-natural products.
Cleansing the Spirit
One overlooked area of detox is our thoughts and emotions. To truly embrace the benefits of a spring clean, we must also look at the mental and emotional environment we live in every day. Chronic stress is one of the most toxic emotions to live with on a daily basis. Not only can it tax the body by stimulating stress hormones, it taxes the spirit and positive mental outlook. Other toxic emotions such as anger, resentment, jealousy, anxiety, and depression need to be dealt with. Naturopathic Medicine helps support more than just your body, it helps support the whole person including one’s emotional state.
Some strategies everyone can use to help support their spring cleaning are deep cleansing breaths, meditation, staying hydrated with clean water, and exercising.
References
Lindlahr, Henry, and Jocelyn C. P. Proby. 1975. Philosophy of natural therapeutics. Saffron Walden: C.W. Daniel Co.
Pizzorno, Joseph E., and Michael T. Murray. 1999. Textbook of natural medicine. Edinburgh: Churchill Livingstone.
Vasey, Christopher. 2009. The naturopathic way: how to detox, find quality nutrition, and restore your acid-alkaline balance. Rochester, Vt: Healing Arts Press.
Family and Environmental Medicine help patients with detoxification programs. Dr Gary Gruber provides private appointments for patients from around the country who seek health and healing with Complementary and Alternative Medicine. The majority of patients are from the local area including Greenwich CT, Stamford CT, Darien CT, Norwalk CT, New Canaan CT, Wilton CT, Westchester County, NY, NYC, and Northern NJ.
Family and Environmental Medicine help patients with Natural and Holistic Treatments for a healthy immune system.Local areas served are CT, NY, NJ.
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Natural treatment for weight loss: L-carnitine
Natural treatment for weight loss
L-carnitine is a natural compound that is found mostly in animal foods such as red meat, chicken and fish. A well-balanced diet provides about 100 to 300 mg L-carnitine per day. L-carnitine deficiency is rare if moderate portions of meat are ingested daily. In addition, our body produces this amino acid naturally and requirements can be reached by this way.
Recently, the supplement L-carnitine has been found to be useful as a Natural treatment for weight loss as this compound is essential for the oxidation of certain fats. L-carnitine enables long chain fatty acids to enter the cell and then be oxidized, thus facilitating the generation of energy and weight loss.
Until now, doctors believed that the use of L-carnitine as a natural treatment for weight loss was only effective in people who have a deficit of this compound as in the case of vegetarians and those with high energy requirements as athletes. However, new studies have shown that L-carnitine supplementation in people with no deficits can be an effective measure to supplement the diet for weight loss. In one study supplementation with 3 doses of 1 gram of L-carnitine daily for 10 days resulted in an increase of fat oxidation in healthy individuals without shortage of this amino acid.
Those who often follow a natural treatment for weight loss such as low-calorie diets may have lower levels of L-carnitine and, thus, likely to benefit with the addition of a dietary supplement of L-carnitine. Blood levels of L-carnitine are also influenced by the macronutrient composition of the diet. Thus, those diets that are low in calories and carbohydrates but, moderate in fat may further increase the level of L-carnitine in blood compared with high-carbohydrate low-fat diets.
Due to its facilitating role in fat metabolism, L-carnitine contributes to better utilization of these nutrients as an energy source during exercise. L-carnitine improves the uptake of fat as energy substrate in those exercises of long duration and medium intensity. As a result, people who perform physical activity endurance (running, swimming, walking, etc.) to lose weight will gain additional benefit from supplementation with L-carnitine as a natural treatment for weight loss .
A natural treatment for weight loss supplement
The addition of a supplement of L-carnitine as a natural treatment for weight loss may also be beneficial for people who are overweight associated with alterations in blood lipids (high cholesterol or high triglycerides levels). L-carnitine takes part in the normalization of these parameters, especially when associated with diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol.
There are some nutrients that are essential to maintain high levels of L-carnitine in blood and facilitate fat oxidation and weight loss:
- Vitamin C: melon, citrus, kiwi, berries, tomatoes, peppers.
- Vitamin B12: eggs, meat, dairy products.
- Vitamin B2: cereals, nuts, milk, eggs, green leafy vegetables, meats.
- Lysine: eggs, milk, legumes.
Finally, supplementation with lecithin can also diminish the levels of L-carnitine. For all this you should consult with your doctor before starting the use of a natural supplement of L-carnitine.
Family and Environmental Medicine help patients with Natural treatment for weight loss. Dr Gary Gruber provides private appointments for patients from around the country who seek health and healing with Complementary and Alternative Medicine. The majority of patients are from the local area including Greenwich CT, Stamford CT, Darien CT, Norwalk CT, New Canaan CT, Wilton CT, Westchester County, NY, NYC, and Northern NJ.
Family and Environmental Medicine helps patients with Natural treatment for weight loss. Local areas served are CT, NY, NJ.
Local area including Greenwich, Stamford, Darien, Norwalk, New Canaan, Wilton CT, Westchester County, NY, NYC, and Northern NJ
Contact Dr Gary Gruber for a natural treatment for weight loss directly via phone or fill out the contact form.
References
Muller DM, Seim H. Effects of oral L-carnitine supplementation on in vivo long-chain fatty acid oxidation in healthy adults. Metabolism 2002 Nov;51(11):1389-91.
Lurtz R., Fischer R. Carnitine as supporting agent in weight loss in adiposity. Medical Journal for natural Therapy, 39, 1(1998) pg 12-15.
Fat, Weight Loss and "Hormones"
Fat is Necessary
Fat is really not a bad thing unless it is a cause of inflammation and chronic disease. Fat is a source of energy and it is the backbone for making cells and signaling chemicals called hormones.
Here is a shocking statistic: one out of three men and women in the United States are considered overweight. And alarmingly, 17% of children between 2 and 19 years are obese. Every year thousands of people resolve to lose weight, to shed those excess pounds that creep up year by year. Medical experts report that diet and exercise are the key to weight and fat loss. We are bombarded by commercials and programming that suggest diet and exercise are the solution to reducing fat. We buy carefully selected menus and enlist in fitness clubs and programs. Some are successful yet most people shed a few pounds only to rebound to past levels and beyond. The results are miserable and very few people lose weight permanently. People blame themselves for poor lifestyle choices. It is predominant “medical wisdom” that suggests changing behaviors will lead to permanent weight loss.
With a seemly unlimited number of diets and exercise programs, why are the results for weight and fat loss so poor? “Convincing evidence suggests that diet and activity level are not the only factors in this trend – chemical “obesogens” may alter human metabolism and predispose some people to gain weight.”(1)
Fat Cells are Stimulated by Obesogens
Obesogen is a new medical term that combines the two words obesity and estrogen (a hormone in both men and predominately women). Hormones produced naturally in the body are chemical signals that help different systems communicate with each other. Hormones attach to cell receptors like a “lock and key” mechanism that turns on or turns off gene expression. For example, the brain makes a chemical called thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) that stimulates the thyroid gland to make another chemical thyroxine (T4) that circulates to the liver and kidneys where it is converted to triiodothyronine (T3). T3 is the activated thyroid hormone that stimulates cells in the digestive system, the urinary system, the brain, and other systems to make energy and do work. All along the pathway each thyroid hormone stimulates a cell receptor causing the cell to do something. Hence, obesogens are chemicals that act like cellular signaling hormones that influence weight gain and the inability to lose fat.
The understanding of how obesogens affect cells is still being worked out by scientists and physiologists. The best information so far is based on research concerning tin biocides (“toxic to life”). In this research it was found that these tin-based chemicals stimulated cells by activating a very specific cell receptor, the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR-gamma). (2) Adipose cells are storage depots for fat, a source of energy when food is scarce. In the beginning, when new cells are growing and haven’t quite determined what type of cell they should be, activating the PPAR-gamma receptor of the cell will cause it to become an adipose cell. When an existing adipose cell has its PPAR-gamma receptor stimulated the cell adds more fat into storage. This mechanism strongly suggests that the environment affects fat metabolism. In a mouse study the researchers gave low doses of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA, found in Teflon, Scotchguard, and Gore-Tex) to a group of mice in the same diet of their brothers and sisters who did not receive PFOA. The mice whose diet contained PFOA became morbidly obese. (3)
Obesogens are ubiquitous. They are in our food and water; they are in the air we breathe. Developing children and adolescents are considered more susceptible than adults, but this could be because children born today have a higher total load than their parents and grandparents. (4)
Here are some known and suspected chemicals that are obesogens: (1)
Diet
• Fructose • Genistein • Monosodium Glutamate
Smoking
• Nicotine
Pharmaceuticals
• Diethylstilbestrol • Estradiol
Industrial Chemicals
• Bisphenol A (BPA) • Organotins • Perfluorooctanoic Acid (PFOA) • Phthalates • Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers (PBDEs) • Polychlorinated Biphenyl Ethers (PCBs)
Organophosphate Pesticides
• Chlopyrifos • Diazinon • Parathion
Other Environmental Pollutants
• Benzo[a]pyrene • Fine Particulate Matter (PM2.5) • Lead
Some of these chemicals like plastics and pesticides are pervasive in our environment. No one can escape them. It is best to minimize exposure by eating organic fresh prepared foods. Avoid cooking with Teflon. Avoid cans lined with plastic as well as plastic food containers. Drink water that has been filtered through a high quality industrial filter. Avoidance is critical.
Fat Metabolism
Experts agree that all people are carrying a body burden of a majority of these chemicals. While it is very difficult to accurately measure the body burden of these chemicals there is good clinical evidence that supporting and enhancing fat and detoxification metabolism to eliminate these chemicals will result in permanent weight loss.
Bibliography and Footnotes
- Holtcamp, W. Obesogens: An Environmental Link to Obesity. EHP 120:2 Feb 2012 A63 – A68.
- Evans RM, et al. PPARs and the complex journey to obesity. Nat Med 10(4):355-361 (2004).
- Hines E., et al. Phenotypic dichotomy following developmental exposure to perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) in female CD-1 mice: Low doses induce elevated serum leptin and insulin, and overweight in mid-life. Molecular and Cellular Endocrinology 304 (2009) 97 – 105.
- Environmental Working Group. Body Burden: The Pollution in People. http://www.ewg.org/sites/bodyburden1. See also, Across Generations: Industrial chemicals in mothers and daughters: The Pollution we share and inherit. http://www.ewg.org/reports/generations.
Family and Environmental Medicine help patients with Natural and Holistic Treatments for Weight Loss and Diet. Dr Gary Gruber provides private appointments for patients from around the country who seek health and healing with Complementary and Alternative Medicine. The majority of patients are from the local area including Greenwich CT, Stamford CT, Darien CT, Norwalk CT, New Canaan CT, Wilton CT, Westchester County, NY, NYC, and Northern NJ.
What Are Natural Remedies For Weight Loss
What Are Natural Remedies For Weight Loss - The Detoxification Solution
Many overweight people are asking What are Natural remedies for Weight Loss? One of the major obstacles to success at losing weight is not being able to move past a plateau. Clinical experience shows that optimal liver function plays an important role in lipid metabolism (“fat burning”) and a medically-based detoxification program is a successful strategy for lowering toxic load and improving liver function.
The liver becomes the factor that limits fat burning and ultimately weight loss. Most toxins are fat soluble and are stored in fat cells. In order to use stored fat as energy, the liver must first convert the fat to triglycerides then to sugar. The liver cannot effectively convert fat to sugar if there are toxins slowing down the system.
Fasting is an inadequate and potentially dangerous strategy for liver detoxification. A medical food that is specifically designed to enhance and support liver function along with nutritional and dietary changes is a better way to maximize detoxification efforts. When a medical food is selected it must contain ingredients that provide solutions for What are Natural Remedies for weight loss.
What are Natural Remedies for Weight Loss - One Option
One of the options that answers the question What are Natural Remedies for weight loss is green tea. In one study published in the Journal Obesity by Penn State food scientists mice were fed a high fat diet along with green tea. The results showed that green tea was a natural remedy for weight loss because the mice had lower weight gain. Green tea should be included with the medical food for weight loss.
Natural Remedies for Weight Loss - Areas We Serve
Family and Environmental Medicine helps patients with What are Natural Remedies for weight loss. Dr Gary Gruber provides private appointments for clients from around the country. The majority of clients are from the local area including Greenwich CT, Stamford CT, Darien CT, Norwalk CT, New Canaan CT, Wilton CT, Westchester County, NY and NYC. For other solutions to What are Natural Remedies for weight loss please contact us at (203) 966-6360.