This is why we’re addicted – we have seen it work for both our patients and ourselves!

Every day, our body is bombarded with chemicals, pesticides, hormones and other pollutants from our surrounding environment and the foods we eat.  Under ideal circumstances the body is able to detoxify and eliminate many of these toxic substances safely through perspiration, urination, respiration and bowel elimination.  Unfortunately, we no longer live in a natural world, and people today are taking in more toxins than the body was designed to process.  Under these conditions, the body may fail to detoxify at the same rate as toxins are introduced, resulting in a host of health concerns.  We need to give our bodies a break.  This is why a detox is helpful – it gives the organs of elimination a break (and some support) to help restore your body’s natural ability to detoxify.

Much of the scrutiny surrounding detox plans stems from this misconception.  Because so many types of detoxes exist, it is helpful to be well informed of the potential risks (and seek out guidance from you naturopathic doctor).  Many approaches such as the Master Cleanse, liver flush, and straight juicing have a number of potential harms:

• Most are very low calorie, which research shows can slow your metabolic rate and increase your risk of weight gain (Fricker 1991).  You also risk losing muscle, since your body can break this down to use as a “fuel” when caloric intake is insufficient for demands.
• Vitamin deficiencies, blood sugar problems, and electrolyte disturbances due to restrictive diet plans (which is especially harmful for those with diabetes, kidney or heart problems, and those taking certain medications such as diuretics).
• Many plans are water or fluid-based, and this combined with laxative teas causes diarrhea, dehydration and loss of the bacterial flora that keeps our intestines healthy.  Laxative teas (such as senna) also cause habituation over time, decreasing the natural peristalsis of the colon which means your colon requires these substances to function.

How to avoid these potential harms and benefit?  Be informed and seek guidance.  Because each individual is unique, there is no single “best” or “safest” detox, and that’s why we’re here to help. 

It is true that your liver can handle a lot.  Every day, our body is bombarded with chemicals, pesticides, hormones and other pollutants from our surrounding environment. The liver is quite good at handling chronic exposure to toxins by up-regulating necessary enzymatic pathways, but as the demands placed on the liver increase we begin pushing the limits of this vital organ.  Sure, in most cases our liver can keep up, but why would you want to keep it working at 99%?  And depending on demands sometimes the liver cannot keep pace with our toxin burden, resulting in a range of “toxic” symptoms including brain fog, headaches, fatigue and chronic pain.

To add to this point, the role of detox is not solely on the liver – it’s a team effort!  The lymphatic system, lungs, skin, digestive and urinary systems all play a role in detoxification since these organs assist in the elimination of by-products of liver detoxification.  So if any of these organ systems are impaired (a common example being constipation), your body’s ability to detoxify is impaired.

This highlights another common misconception, that if our liver is functioning well we are efficient at detoxifying.  This is misguided not only because other organ systems are involved, but also because it isn’t only the toxins going into the liver that are “toxic” – the byproducts the liver makes in the process of detoxification can be harmful too!  For example, the alcohol from that glass of wine you occasionally have is metabolized by the liver into acetaldehyde, a highly unstable and toxic compound that forms free radicals capable of causing tissue damage.  Ever heard of a hangover? When we have “one too many”, the liver’s ability to neutralize acetaldehyde’s effects using the antioxidant glutathione is reduced, in part leading to those unpleasant hangover symptoms (Penning 2010).


Bottom Line:  a detox isn’t necessary to  ”clean” the liver of toxic buildup, but that isn’t the objective anyhow – a detox gives the liver and other detoxification organs a much needed break, while providing the body with a “spring cleaning” by limiting exposure to pesticides, hormones and other toxic compounds.

A detox is a way to “clean up” the body by decreasing exposure to harmful compounds and supporting detoxification and elimination pathways.  Period.  There are many ways to do this including:

Since spring is a great time to detox and is on its way (finally!), I am running (through the Wylde Natural Health Team) a “spring detox” program advertised throughout March.  This program combines an individualized detox plan and 1-on-1 consultations with myself, a Naturopathic Doctor, with unlimited hot yoga at Your Affinity Place – yay!  Check out the details here, and book early since space is limited!


Happy Detoxing!

~Amber Moore, BSc (Hons), ND

Amber is a licensed Naturopathic Doctor practicing as part of The Wylde Natural Health Team.  She enjoys helping patients with a variety of health concerns, and has a special interest in sports medicine and pain management, skin and digestive concerns, weight loss and mental health.  In addition to her private practice, Amber is currently part of the competitive Clinical Residency program at CCNM, teaching naturopathic therapies to students and supervising fourth year interns at the college’s teaching clinics.

Read more about Amber on her Bio Page and follow her on facebook to keep updated on the latest health news and topics.

1) Measure your Middle
In comparison to your overall weight, the circumference of your waist matters more with respect to cardiovascular health. Research shows that excess abdominal fat raises blood pressure, raises cholesterol (LDL) and blood lipid levels, and increases one's risk of mortality overall - a systematic review of the research found a 58-83% increased risk of all-cause death in those with central obesity (Coutinho 2011).

What to do about it: Although abdominal exercises are good for other reasons, unfortunately it isn't the best way to lose abdominal fat - the body does not selectively burn fat in certain areas, so overall weight loss by eating healthy and exercising is key.

*Stay tuned for my upcoming group weight loss program to help you achieve this goal! 

2) Be Friends with Fiber
Incorporating fiber, especially soluble fiber, in your diet has been shown to help decrease LDL ("bad") cholesterol levels - soluble fiber actually binds to cholesterol in the intestinal tract to aid in its removal from the body.  Good sources of soluble fiber include steel-cut oats, asparagus, sweet potato, avacado, black beans, brussel sprouts and chia seeds.

*Check out how to make my current guilty pleasure - delicious vegan avocado chocolate pudding - by clicking here.

3) Eat More Fish
Studies have shown that consumption of fish high in omega-3 fatty acids (such as salmon, herring, and sardines) can reduce your risk of heart disease by a third or more. Try eating fish 2-3 times per week, or take a fish oil supplement that gives you 1500-2000 mg omega 3's (as always, consult your Naturopathic Doctor to find out which supplements are right for you).  Concerned about mercury levels?  Check out this consumer guide to mercury in fish from the National Resources Defense Council here. 

4) Keep Moving
You all know that exercise is good for you, but did you know that sitting is acutally bad for you?  That's what recent evidence in JAMA, one of the most respected medical journals, has discovered - they found that individuals who sit for 8 or more hours a day are at increased risk of all-cause death, and the more hours sitting, the greater the risk, independant of how physically active the individual was otherwise. Those with greater than 11 hours of sitting a day had a hazards ratio of 1.40, which represents a 40% increased risk of all-cause death in comparison to those who sit less than 8 hours (Hidde 2012).  Scary.  We wouldn't suggest you quit your job of course, but now you have a valid reason to take frequent breaks at the office!

5) Laughter is the Best Medicine
You probably wouldn't expect a medical expert to tell you to watch a funny show to better your health, but it's the truth! A number of studies have found laughter to be great for our health, because laughter reduces stress and therefore lowers cortisol levels. Since mental stress is associated with damage to the endothelium (the inner lining of our blood vessels) and impaired blood vessel function, a daily dose of laughter could be just what the doctor ordered. One study found a 30-50% difference in blood vessel diameter when comparing laughter to mental stress, noting that these findings are relatively comparable to benefits seen with exercise or statins (Miller 2011).

6) Go Nuts (for Nuts)
As part of the Mediterranean diet, it's no surprise that nuts such as almonds and walnuts are good for our heart health. Research has found that almonds and walnuts are both able to lower LDL cholesterol levels (Jenkins 2002) which helps decrease your overall cardiovascular disease risk.  To reap the rewards, have a handful of almonds or walnuts as a mid afternoon snack - just make sure they are raw (unroasted) because heat degrades their healthy fats.

7) Avoid the Salt Shaker
We all know that excess sodium in our diet isn't a good thing, but since we are talking about heart health it is worth the reminder. Researchers have been noticing the population wide implications of our standard North American diet for decades, and according to recent findings, reducing dietary sodium intake by 1200mg (around the advised daily maximum) would reduce the number of new cases of coronary heart disease and stroke in half (Bibbins-Domingo 2010).  So minimal use of the salt shaker and limited consumption of packaged foods may be well worth it, and since your taste buds acclimatize over time you likely won't even miss it.

8) Don't Skip the Dentist
Good dental hygeine does much more than keep your smile glistening - it also affects your overall health. According to research from Harvard, oral health issues may lead to many cardiovascular health concerns including coronary heary disease.  How?  Several theories exist, but current thought is that those with oral inflammation risk allowing bacteria from the mouth to enter the bloodstream, which seems to cause vascular damage and plaque formation long term.

9) Save Time for Tea Time
Besides the benefit of reducing stress levels by giving yourself some "me" time, drinking tea may also lower your risk of heart disease - one study noted a 26% lower risk of death from heart attack or stroke in those who drank more than 5 cups of green tea a day (Kokubo 2013).  Many teas including green and black tea have flavonoids and other antioxidants to help keep inflammation at bay to help prevent vascular damage.

10) Quit Smoking
Cigarette smoking is one of the top controllable risk factors for heart disease, so get the help you need to nix the habit.

*Naturopathic Doctors can provide excellent support to help you quit smoking by looking at the root cause of the problem - identifying and addressing your unique triggers to smoke, while helping manage stress levels and promote detoxification as you quit.


Happy Heart Health month!

~Amber Moore, BSc (Hons), ND

Amber  is a licensed Naturopathic Doctor practicing as part of The Wylde Natural Health Team.  She enjoys helping patients with a variety of health concerns, and has a special interest in sports medicine and pain management, skin and digestive concerns, weight loss and mental health.  In addition to her private practice, Amber is currently part of the competitive Clinical Residency program at CCNM, teaching naturopathic therapies to students and supervising fourth year interns at the college’s teaching clinics.

Read more about Amber on her Bio Page

References:

Bibbins-Domingo K et al. Projected effect of dietary salt reductions on future cardiovascular disease. N Engl J Med 2010; 362:590-599

Miller et al. Laughter has a positive aspect on vascular function. University of Maryland School of Medicine. Aug 2011. http://www.escardio.org/about/press/press-releases/esc11-paris/Pages/laughter-vascular-function.aspx

Kokubo Y et al. The impact of green tea and coffee consumption on the reduced risk of stroke incidence in Japanese population. Stroke. March 2013. http://www.stroke.ahajournals.org/content/early/2013/03/14/STROKEAHA.111.677500.full.pdf

Hidde V, Tien C, Rosemary J et al. Sitting time and all-cause mortality risk in 222 497  austrialian adults. Arch Intern Med. 2012;172(6):494-500

Coutinho T et al. Central obesity and survival in subjects with coronary artery disease. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2011;57 (19):1877-1886.

Optimal body composition is critical for preventing disease (both chronic & acute) as it helps optimize organ function, balances hormones & neurotransmitters and minimizes inflammation in the body.  Since inflammation is linked with most chronic diseases including heart disease, diabetes, autoimmune diseases, allergies and cancer (and the list goes on…), an effective way to treat or prevent such illnesses is to ensure optimal body composition.  I specify body composition instead of weight since research shows that the number on the scale does not necessarily correlate to how healthy you are.

Instead, the ratio of lean to fatty tissue that makes up your total body weight is a better indicator of this.  Keeping the percentage of fat low and lean muscle mass high is ideal for wellness.  The optimal body fat range for health is 10-18% in men and 17-25% in women – fall outside of this range, and you are at increased risk of many health complications.

When you schedule an initial consult with a Naturopathic Doctor, we will conduct a Bioimpedance Analysis (BIA) scan to find out your individual body fat and muscle mass percentages – we use this information to assess risk of disease and monitor the outcome of our treatment plan. 

Because weight loss and optimal body composition is a goal for so many people, there are constantly new diet trends, programs and supplements being developed and marketed to the public.  Fortunately, there is also a lot of clinical research going on in this field to help us determine what actually works and what does not.  Below is a summary of some of the more current research related to optimal body composition.


Exercise and Lifestyle changes are critical for healthy and sustained weight loss.

▪   Interval training: high intensity alternating with low intensity exercise is better than long distance exercise for weight loss.  Over 10,000 subjects were observed over 10 years and found that intensity of exercise was more effective than volume of physical activity in weight loss and thereby decreasing risk of diabetes and heart disease (Laursen et al. 2012).

 -->Translation: Don’t nix the long run if you love it, but add weekly interval sessions to your exercise routine to maximize weight loss.  If you’re pressed for time for a workout, interval training trumps steady-state cardio in terms of overall calories burned (keeping your metabolism revved for up to a few hours post-workout!)

▪   Guided lifestyle interventions: coach led/DVD lead weekly lifestyle interventions (i.e. weekly guidance and being accountable to someone improved results as opposed to working alone) produced significant weight loss among overweight or obese adults (Ma et al. 2012).

 -->Translation: Have someone to be accountable for when it comes to exercise – join a running group, go to the gym with a friend, or hire a personal trainer.  Telling the world (i.e. friends and family) helps too, so facebook and twitter away!  Having someone else rely on you makes it more likely that you’ll show up, and the encouragement is an added bonus.

▪   Optimal Sleep:  the largest and longest study to date on sleep habits and weight, following 68,000 women for up to 16 years, found that women who slept five hours or less per night (in comparison to seven hours) were 15% more likely to be obese (Patel et al. 2006)

-->Translation:  Hit the sheets for 7-8 hours a night!  Sleep deprivation is a major unrecognized barrier to weight loss – read more at this great Harvard Health article http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/obesity-prevention-source/obesity-causes/sleep-and-obesity/


It is well documented in scientific literature that stabilizing blood glucose levels and increasing insulin sensitivity is critical for weight loss and maintaining optimal body composition.  As a result we are always finding "new" ways to achieve this.

▪   Legumes: increased consumption of legumes as part of a low–glycemic index (GI) diet improved glycemic control and reduced heart disease in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus compared with a diet including high wheat fiber consumption.  121 subjects were studied for over 1 year and those eating more legumes had lower HbA1c and lower BP and heart rate (Jenkins et al. 2012)

 -->Translation: legumes are great for weight loss – not only are they high in both fiber and protein (which both slow stomach emptying and help stabilize blood glucose levels), but they also provide a great source of many vitamins and minerals.  Try swapping in legumes for one of your weekly meals and embrace “Meat-free Mondays"!

▪   Ground Cinnamon:  adding ground cinnamon to a meal may help regulate blood glucose levels in normal-weight and obese adults immediately after meals.  A recent meta-analysis which summarized the research of ten randomized controlled trials found that cinnamon consumption helped decrease fasting blood glucose levels, in addition to improving blood lipid parameters (Allen et al. 2013)

-->Translation: add 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon to your oatmeal or breakfast cereal to help keep blood sugar spikes at bay.  It’s also great in coffee or tea!

▪   Supplements: the following supplements seem to have the most research behind them with regards to improving insulin resistance according to the National Institutes of Health:  Alpha Lipoic Acid, Chromium, Omega-3 fatty acids and EGCG (polyphenol from Green Tea; Udupa et al 2013; Wu et al. 2012; Hua et al. 2012).  Vitamin D3 (Belenchia et al. 2013) and myo-inositol (Artini et al. 2013) are other important supplements to consider for insulin resistance.  As per usual, you should always consult with your Naturopathic Doctor before starting supplementation.


Are you one of those people thinking “I’ve tried everything (perhaps multiple times) and I can’t seem to lose the weight”?  We hear this time and time again, and we believe you!  Sometimes it’s more than just diet and exercise that you need because other factors are at play.

▪   Sluggish Thyroid:  your thyroid is the primary controller of your overall metabolism, so when its function is impaired this can cause weight gain and makes weight loss quite difficult.  Your GP may test for this (by running TSH, thyroid stimulating hormone) but unless TSH falls outside of the normal range your thyroid is considered healthy.  Problem is, you can still fall within the “normal” range yet have a slow thyroid and be symptomatic (this is called sublaboratory hypothyroidism).

▪   High Cortisol Levels:  cortisol is produced by the adrenal glands in response to stress.  This response was an evolutionary advantage since cortisol increases blood sugar levels, giving the body lots of fuel to run away from the lion (which was the stressor millions of years ago).  Fast forward to today, and a multitude of other less harmful daily stressors cause this same response.  Over time, this response can lead to weight gain and many other effects including muscle tissue breakdown, osteoporosis, immune system suppression, hypertension and sex hormone abnormalities.

Cortisol Testing: We use a variety of tests to assess cortisol and adrenal stress including but not limited to salivary cortisol via Genova Diagnostic Labs and serum and urine cortisol through Gammadyncare Labs and Meridian Valley Labs.


And the Mediterranean Diet wins again!  Despite all the newest fad diets, yet another study shows that this diet allows for sustained weight loss.

▪   Mediterranean Diet:  over 300 subjects were followed for 4 years after a weight loss intervention and compared to a low carbohydrate or low fat diet; individuals were able to regain less weight with the Mediterranean diet.  Moreover the Mediterranean diet produced the best long-term reduction in total cholesterol (Schwarzfuchs et al. 2012).

And when we say diet, we don’t mean diet… a nutrition plan (diet) is lifelong, so the goal for weight loss is to follow a nutrition plan that you can (and want) to follow for life.  Weight maintenance is the overall goal, so if you can’t stick with a diet long term research shows you tend to go back to your old patterns and gain the weight back.  But with the right education and support, reaching your optimal weight is achievable and can lead to a better, healthier you.


-->Bottom Line: We’re here to help.  We know that weight loss isn’t easy, and that’s why we support you through every step of the way.  By constructing and individualized nutrition and exercise plan, managing stress levels, optimizing sleep, and addressing emotional health we can work together to achieve your weight loss goals.



~Amber Moore, BSc (Hons), ND 
(co-authored by Eileen Park, ND)

Amber  is a licensed Naturopathic Doctor practicing as part of The Wylde Natural Health Team.  She enjoys helping patients with a variety of health concerns, and has a special interest in sports medicine and pain management, skin and digestive concerns, weight loss and mental health.  In addition to her private practice, Amber is currently part of the competitive Clinical Residency program at CCNM, teaching naturopathic therapies to students and supervising fourth year interns at the college’s teaching clinics.

Read more about Amber on her Bio Page.

References

Allen RW, Schwartzman E, Baker WL, Coleman CI, Phung OJ. Cinnamon use in type 2 diabetes: an updated systematic review and meta-analysis. Ann Fam Med.  2013 Sep-Oct;11(5):452-9.

Artini PG, Di Berardino OM, Papini F, Genazzani AD, Simi G, Ruggiero M, Cela V.Endocrine and clinical effects of myo-inositol administration in polycystic ovary syndrome. A randomized study. Gynecol Endocrinol. 2013 Apr;29(4):375-9

Belenchia AM, Tosh AK, Hillman LS, Peterson CA. Correcting vitamin D insufficiency improves insulin sensitivity in obese adolescents: a randomized controlled trial. Am J Clin Nutr. 2013 Apr;97(4):774-81.

Hua, Yinan et al. Molecular Mechanisms of Chromium in Alleviating Insulin Resistance.J Nutr Biochem. 2012 April; 23(4): 313–319.

Jenkins DJA, Kendall CWC, Augustin LSA, Mitchell S, et al. Effect of Legumes as Part of a Low Glycemic Index Diet on Glycemic Control and Cardiovascular Risk Factors in Type 2 Diabetes MellitusA Randomized Controlled Trial. Arch Intern Med. 2012;172(21):1653-1660

Laursen AH, Kristiansen OP, Marott JL, Schnohr P, Prescott E. Intensity versus duration of physical activity: implications for the metabolic syndrome. A prospective cohort study. BMJ Open 2012;2:e001711

Ma J, Yank V, Xiao L, Lavori PW, Wilson SR, Rosas LG, Stafford RS. Translating the Diabetes Prevention Program Lifestyle Intervention for Weight Loss Into Primary Care: A Randomized Trial. Arch Intern Med. 2012; 10:1-9

Patel SR, Malhotra A, White DP, Gottlieb DJ, Hu FB.  Association between reduced night sleep and weight gain in women.  Am J Epidemiol. @006;164:947-54.

Schwarzfuchs D, Golan R, Shai I. Four-year follow-up after two-year dietary interventions. N Engl J Med. 2012; 367(14):1373-4

Udupa A, Nahar P, Shah S, Kshirsagar M, Ghongane B. A comparative study of effects of omega-3 Fatty acids, alpha lipoic Acid and vitamin e in type 2 diabetes mellitus. Ann Med Health Sci Res. 2013 Jul;3(3):442-6. doi: 10.4103/2141-9248.117954

Wu, Anna H. Effect of 2 month controlled green tea intervention on lipoprotein cholesterol, glucose, and hormone levels in healthy postmenopausal women. Cancer Prev Res (Phila). 2012 March; 5(3): 393–402.