Why do we care about Liver Health? One of the most important functions of the liver is to detoxify our bodies. With the popularity of detox diets these days many people worry about the liver’s ability to detoxify, but in fact there’s no need to worry because unless your liver is in the final stages of failure then it’s going to detoxify your body all on its own. Without getting too in depth with the physiology, the liver breaks everything down in two phases, the fat- soluble and water- soluble toxins.
All this means is that everything needs to be broken down in stages, so it can be effectively recycled or shuttled out of the body in the form of waste (namely urine or stool). If these functions aren’t done properly, this can have profound effects on just about every other system in the body. If the liver isn’t functioning properly then overall digestion, metabolism, hormonal balance and the immune system don’t function well. The Liver performs the following vital functions:
Essentially, without the liver it would not be possible to survive very long. We are living in a Toxic world We are exposed to all kinds of toxins every day of our lives. From the moment we are conceived, we are exposed to toxins through our mother. At present, there are over 80,000 chemicals registered by the Environmental Protection Agency. 3,800 are ‘high-use’ chemicals and less than ½ have been assessed for toxic effects in humans. Less than 9% of these chemicals have been assessed for toxic effects on children. If we don’t take care of our liver’s health, we won’t be able to function in our toxic laden environment. How do we know we’re experiencing symptoms of toxicity? Well that in and of itself is part of the problem. The overall symptoms of toxicity are quite general, and can easily be mistaken as part of another problem. Some of the symptoms include: fatigue, headaches, muscle and joint pain, mood changes, cognitive impairment and possibly neurological problems. Are you susceptible to toxicity? Multiple factors affect how your body deals with toxic burden.
To better understand what toxicity looks like in the body, the analogy I like to use is a bucket. We all have different buckets, some are short and fill very quickly, or have a spout that doesn’t drain effectively, or perhaps an average size bucket with a decently emptying spout. However your bucket functions, determines how quickly it will fill (accumulate toxins) or empty (eliminate toxins). Unfortunately, those of us with shorter buckets/poorly draining spouts are more likely to build up toxins quickly and/or not eliminate them quickly enough to avoid symptoms of toxicity. What Can We Do?
Work with a medical professional to help correct problems
Note: Talk to your Naturopathic Doctor today about getting assessed and treated if needed, and as always talk to your health care provider before beginning any new medication or supplement. This information is not meant to replace the advice/guidance of a medical professional, nor should it be acted upon by individuals unsupervised by the appropriate healthcare provider.
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Back to School Nutrition Check Now that school is back in session it’s also time to start packing the lunch box again! September is a great time to re-evaluate our snacking and lunching habits. It’s been a little while (the whole summer perhaps) since lunches have been packed daily, so there is no need to feel guilty about all the sugar or processed junk that’s crept in there over the past year. Think of the new school year as starting with a totally clean slate. Starting off right makes all the difference When do you usually pack the lunches? Do you do it yourself or are the kids old enough to be involved in the process? You may be wondering why I’m asking these questions. The reason is I’m trying to help you figure out your routine. If your family is trying to get breakfast down and lunches packed and everyone out the door in world record time first thing in the morning, that’s going to affect your choices. If you feel rushed, you’re going to grab the foods that take the least amount of prep, which will likely leak into your grocery shopping down the road, and eventually you have lots of sugar filled snacks filling your cupboards. If on the other hand, you find some time after dinner before everyone goes to bed to prepare the lunches for the next day then they’re sitting in the fridge waiting for you when you get up in the morning. Now doesn’t it sound much nicer to only deal with one meal in the morning? Another great way to spend time with your kids, and educate them on nutritious food choices is to get them involved in the lunch making process. Studies have shown that parental modeling of good food choices, coupled with getting kids more involved in food preparation and choosing what they eat increases the likelihood of them making healthy food choices later in life (this means even when Mom and Dad aren’t around telling them to eat their peas!). Not to mention if the kids are the ones choosing their lunch then it should mean they eat it all at school, instead of bring half or more of it home. What to pack When pack lunches you want to be mindful of what exactly is going into it. Ideally, you want to incorporate all the major food groups: fruits/vegetable, grains, dairy and protein. For example, a sandwich of whole grain bread, almond butter and banana with an apple and a few slices of cheese would include something from every food group. If you’re going to leave a group out of lunch, aim for grains or dairy over fruit/veggie or protein. In North America today, over 70% of people are not eating their recommended 5-10 servings of fruits and veggies a day. Growing children need protein, it helps to fuel their day and keep them feeling full for longer. If you’re looking for some ideas the following websites give some good suggestions: 5 dollar dinners and Weelicious. I found these websites quite quickly by doing a simple search for ‘lunch ideas’. Don’t forget the internet is an almost bottomless resource when you’re running low on ideas.
Now, I didn't touch on dietary sensitivities such as gluten or dairy. For the most part, people who have these issues are aware of them and have made the modifications already. However, if you are having GI upset or other similar problems and you suspect a food sensitivity then you may want to consult with a Naturopathic Doctor. Now that the warm weather is finally here, it's time to pull out some great recipes for healthier frozen treats! This reicpe is dairy, gluten and sugar free! I have not tried this one personally yet, but you can bet I will be very soon. Thanks to my mother for finding this one and passing it along from Unstoppable Fitness Experts. Vanilla Avocado Banana Ice Cream - 1 ripe avocado - 1 medium banana (previously frozen in chunks) - 1 tsp vanilla extract - 1/2 cup almond milk - 1/2 tsp stevia or sweetener of your choice - 1 cup ice cubes Put all ingredients into a blender and blend until its all mixed. If it gets too thick, add a little extra milk. Place in a container and freeze. Before eating, let it sit for 5 minutes to thaw. One of the most talked about supplements after probiotics is fish oil. Many Naturopaths prescribe it, and some people take it just because they’ve heard it’s good for them. So is there something to all this excitement, or is it just hype and good marketing? There are many reasons why fish oil is potentially a good supplement, from a growing baby to adult. These healthy fats help create a healthy brain, decreases risk of certain cancers, decreases overall heart disease, decreases and treats depression, and so on. There are two main components: EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and DHA (docosahexanoic acid), which are the long chain fatty acids known as omega 3s. They are naturally found in fish and shellfish, and nut oils like walnuts. These two together, are the omega 3s that research focuses on, and they are important because of the effect they have on inflammation. In general, they decrease or mediate inflammation in the body, which is involved in many disease processes like the ones mentioned above. Getting Enough If you want to get a good amount of these essential fatty acids in your diet, most people can achieve this if you can consume 2 eight-ounce servings of fish each week. However, if you are pregnant, nursing or have a particular health condition then you may need more than that. For example, a growing baby needs a lot of DHA to make a healthy brain. A full term baby needs 2400 mg DHA per day until 3 months postpartum. This can be achieved with cod liver oil, or a good EPA and DHA supplement or eating fish 24/7. You would need to eat about 3 lbs of oily fish, (sardines, mackerel, herring, or wild salmon) every day or more if you’re only eating white fish. A Note on Toxins Unfortunately, due to poor fishing practices and certain industrial processes heavy metals are a legitimate concern when consuming fish and fish products. Mercury and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are common toxins in seafood. As a general rule when considering the cumulative effect of these toxins, the higher up the food chain, the greater the toxic load. So fish that eat plants, will have a lower toxin load than fish that eat other fish.
Getting the Most Benefit from Omega 3s You can take several steps to ensure you’re getting the optimal benefits from fish. Ask your Naturopath/healthcare provider: There are many different fish oil supplements on the market, get assistance from your healthcare provider to select one that is low risk for heavy metals and toxins and provides the most benefit for your money. Make sure that your fish are selected from a good source: Read the labels on your food so you know where your fish is coming from and how it has been processed. Two good online sources are:
Do the sniff test. Buy the freshest fish you can find. The longer a fish is exposed to oxygen, the more it loses some of its omega-3 benefits. Cook it right: You can’t cook the toxins out, but you can minimize exposure by removing the skin and surface fat prior to eating. Note: Talk to your Naturopathic Doctor today about getting assessed and treated if needed, and as always talk to your health care provider before beginning any new medication or supplement. References: Phillipson-Webb, L. 2010. Sprout Right: Nutrition from Tummy to Toddler. Penguin Canada. Romm, A. 2003. Naturally Healthy Babies and Children: A Commonsense Guide to Herbal Remedies, Nutrition, and Health. Celestial Arts. Stuart, A. What to Know about Omega 3s and Fish. WebMD. http://www.webmd.com/diet/features/what-to-know-about-omega-3s-and-fish?page=3. Reviewed October 17, 2011. Black Bean, Rice, and Yam Wraps Feeling the chocolate coma from Easter weekend? Here's a recipe to get a little more veg back in your diet that tastes great and is easy to make. Serves 4-6 1 ½ cups short grain brown rice ½ cup sweet brown rice 4 cups water pinch sea salt 1 large yam, cut into large chunks 3 cups cooked black beans, or 2 cans 1 large avocado, mashed salsa mixed greens brown rice tortillas Directions: 1. Preheat the oven to 425 F 2. To cook rice, place the short grain rice, sweet rice, water and sea salt into a 2-quart pot, cover, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for about 45 minutes. Remove pot from heat and let stand for at least 10 to 15 minutes. 3. While the rice is cooking, place the yam chunks into a small casserole dish, fill with about ½ inch of water, place the lid on the casserole dish and bake in the oven for 40-45 minutes, or until the yams are very tender. Remove skins from yams and slightly mash them with a fork. 4. To assemble a wrap, lay tortilla flat onto a plate and place a small amount of rice in the middle of it, add some cooked black beans, some mashed yam, mashed avocado, salsa, and some mixed greens. Fold the ends in and roll. Note: If using the brown rice tortillas make sure you warm them before use because they often fall apart when cold. References: Segersten, A. & Malterre, T. The Whole Life Nutrition Cookbook. Blueberry Almond Oatmeal. 2nd Ed. Whole Life Press. |
Sarah Connors
I am a Naturopathic Doctor and Doula providing care in the Kitchener-Waterloo area. I have a passion for helping people with their health issues and improving the birth experience for Moms, and their babies. I also have a life long love affair with soccer, curling, and the alto saxophone. Archives
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