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Natural Health Practitioner Recommends Superfoods that Detoxify

The beginning of the new year is when many of us will start a detox program; but if doing a detox is not your thing, our natural health practitioner recommends superfoods that detoxify and that you can easily add into your daily life.

Natural Health Practitioner Recommends Superfoods that Detoxify

Photo Credit: celynnerasmus.com

Avocados—lower cholesterol and dilate blood vessels while blocking artery-destroying toxins.  Avocados contain a nutrient called glutathione, which blocks 30 different carcinogens while helping the liver detoxify synthetic chemicals.

Beets—contain a unique mixture of natural plant chemicals and minerals that make them an excellent overall body cleansers.

Cranberries—have powerful antibiotic and antiviral substances to help the body cleanse harmful bacteria and viruses from the urinary tract.

Flaxseeds and Flaxseed Oil— are loaded with essential fatty acids, that are essential for many cleansing functions and maintaining a healthy immune system. The health of every cell in your body is dependent on getting adequate amounts of essential fatty acids.

Fresh Garlic—helps cleanse harmful bacteria, and viruses from the body, especially from the blood and intestines. It also helps cleanse buildup from the arteries and lowers blood pressure. Garlic has anti-cancer and antioxidant properties that help detoxify the body.

Lemons— are the perfect liver detoxifiers. Fresh lemon juice contains more than 20 anti-cancer compounds and contain high amounts of vitamin C, a vitamin needed by the body to make a substance called glutathione; which reduces the likelihood of negative effects from environmental chemicals. Vitamin C and other antioxidants found in lemons are integral to ward off cancer, fight the effects of pollution and cell damage.

Seaweed—could be the most underrated vegetable in the Western world. Studies at McGill University in Montreal showed that seaweeds bind to radioactive waste in the body so it can be removed. Seaweed also binds to heavy metals to help eliminate them from the body.

Diversified Health’s natural health practitioner recommends superfoods that detoxify and can also set up a personalize workout program to fit your health needs.

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To B or Not to B, that is the Supplement

b12These days, you simply can’t eat enough food to obtain all of the proper nutrition you need due to the fact that our soils have been depleted, or it may be difficult to find enough locally grown produce to fulfill our needs. You know that supplements are beneficial, but do you know the key questions to ask yourself about buying the right vitamins, minerals and other nutritional supplements?

For example, are you sure that the echinacea product you’re taking is the correct species of the plant? The correct portion of the plant? Processed to provide optimum bio-availability? Are you sure those coenzyme Q10 capsules contain COQ10 and not just a mixture of riboflavin and folic acid which looks just like COQ10?

Wide price differentials exist among particular nutraceuticals, and one reason can be differences in the quality of the raw material between manufacturers. There’s natural diversity in the genetics of the plant that have a long-term impact as to the final quality of the packaged product. Some plants may have high levels of active ingredients, while others may have none.

Vitamin B for instance, supports healthy cardiovascular an nervous system function, as well as the ability to boost energy levels.  But what brand, what dosage and when should it be taken are questions that you should be asking before taking any nutraceutical supplement.

If you’re unsure about the quality of the vitamins, minerals and/or supplements you are taking, ask for suggestions or recommendations by your health care practitioner.  The practitioners at Diversified Health Clinic use only the highest quality nutraceuticals.

Remember, if you ever have any questions or concerns about your health, talk to us. We’re here to help, and enjoy participating in your life long good health!

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Sleep, “why can’t I get enough” ?

Sleep, why can’t I get enough? This is the question that most of us ask even knowing that sleep deprivation is often voluntary. Many people would rather work late, watch television, or do just about anything else than obtain what they need in sleep time: 7-8 hours of sleep each night.

Sleep allows your body both to relax and replenish itself. For example, studies show that growth hormones secreted during sleep help repair damaged tissue.

For most people, puffy baggy eyes, a droopy face, and an overall draggy demeanor is what they see when they look in the mirror after a hard night of no sleep or insufficient sleep. In contrast, a good night’s sleep, especially when you sleep well night after night, is far more likely to leave you with clearer skin and an improved attitude to life.

Alcohol may cause insomnia or frequent awakenings, and to improve your sleep time and quality, you should eliminate or at least cut back your alcohol consumption.

Caffeine is another sleep robber, because it’s a stimulant that prevents you from falling asleep with ease. Caffeine remains in the body 3 to 7 hours after consumption! Heeding this information, avoid foods and drinks with caffeine, as well as chocolate (which also has caffeine in it) at least 3 hours before you want to go to sleep.

Sometimes medications can induce insomnia as a side effect. Ask your doctor if your medicines could be keeping you awake. If so, your physician may be able to change the medication or reduce the dosage.

You may also want to try a chiropractic adjustment or an acupuncture session which can aid in helping you regain your normal sleep patterns.

What if you can’t sleep, despite following the above advice? Consider making some lifestyle changes.

First, analyze your bedtime habits. Are you going to bed at midnight and expecting to fall asleep instantly? This is less likely to happen if you’ve been having an animated discussion with family or friends or watching an exciting movie on TV. Delay the debate and tape the movie and watch it another day, and turn in earlier.

Also don’t eat fashionably late. If you dine at 9:00, and then expect to fall asleep at 10:00, think again! You’ve given your digestive system plenty to work on. Better to eat earlier, so your body can wind down at night.

Now, if you smoke, keep in mind nicotine is a stimulant that makes it hard to fall asleep and stay asleep so avoid smoking for several hours before bedtime.

Ask yourself what’s going on with your life now. Are you stressed out, as many people with insomnia are? If so, it’s time to bring down stress levels. One way is through slow, deep breathing. Another strategy to achieve shuteye is mastering simple relaxation therapy techniques. Lie down, close your eyes, and imagine different muscle groups relaxing. You can start with your feet and work your way up to your head, in your mind. Or start with your head and work down to the toes.

Often gentle exercising is an inducement to sleep. Experts report walking is a great cardiovascular exercise that can also relax the body so that it’s ready to fall into a nice deep sleep when it’s time. Take a brief walk a few hours before you’d like to sleep.

It’s important to use your bedroom for sleeping and intimacy only. Avoid using it as an office away from the office or another place to watch television. If you’re facing sleepless nights, purge your bedroom of work and entertainment paraphernalia.

Transform your bedroom into a sleep-inducing room. Do you have a comfortable mattress, clean soft sheets, and is the thermostat set at a moderate temperature? If not, then go ahead and make the needed changes. You may find that they help lull you into dreamland.

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An Introduction to Arthritis | acupuncture victoria bc

Live long enough and you can pretty much count on developing arthritis, so an introduction to arthritis | acupuncture victoria bc just makes sense. Joints naturally degenerate over time!

Arthritis (“arth” meaning joint and “itis” meaning inflammation) isn’t a single condition; it actually consists of more than 1oo different conditions.  These can be anything from mild forms of tendonitis, such as tennis elbow and bursitis, to a crippling systemic form such as rheumatoid arthritis.  There are pain syndromes like fibromyalgia and arthritis related disorders such as lupus.

An Introduction to Arthritis | acupuncture victoria bc

An Introduction to Arthritis | acupuncture victoria bc

There are forms of the disease, such as gout that almost nobody connects with arthritis.  The common denominator for all these conditions is joint and musculoskeletal pain which is why they are grouped together as arthritis. Often the pain is a result of inflammation of the joint lining.

Inflammation is involved in may forms of arthritis, it is the body’s natural response to an injury.  The warning signs that inflammation is present is redness, swelling, heat and pain.   When a joint becomes inflamed it may get any or all of the mentioned symptoms.  This can prevent the normal use of the joint and can cause the loss of function of that joint.

Acupuncture has been found to be extremely effective at treating the pain and inflammation associated with all types of arthritis. During the acupuncture treatment, tiny needles will be placed along your legs, arms, shoulders, and perhaps even your little toe!  Acupuncture points to treat Arthritis are located all over the body, not just directly over the affected area.

Now that you have had an introduction to arthritis | acupuncture victoria bc, please contact Victoria Spaurel R.Ac. to find out if acupuncture is right for you!

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