Thursday, February 23, 2017

9 Benefits of Detoxing

How healthy do you feel? Most people would say "healthy" or “healthy enough” because they are a vegetarian or vegan or follow the recommended 2-3 meals/2 snacks/desserts a day guideline.  Yet, they still feel lethargic, bloated, lack mental clarity or a number of other unwelcome experiences. Most do not even realize it could be from the foods they put in their bodies. The good news is a detoxification, for a limited time such as our 12 Day Detox, can reap enormous benefits within a short period of time. Simply said, detoxing is about removing harmful toxins from the body while allowing your body to regain what it's been lacking. 

One of the main misconceptions about detoxing/detox eating is that you're depriving yourself of vital nutrients and calories your body needs to process into such things as energy and overall good health. However, that is not true. In fact, many people have stated they have MORE energy and clarity when on a juice fast or the Master Cleanse, for example. Additionally, there are detox programs that solely focus on “clean eating” or "eating more whole and natural foods” all of which the body needs in order to sustain itself. 


Here are 9 benefits from detoxification/detoxification eating:

1). Increased Energy for Daily Activities
Many who detox report energy boosts, as well as more consistent mental, physical and emotional energy. It makes sense that replacing sugar, caffeine, refined sugar and trans and saturated fats with more whole and healthful foods, such as vegetables and fruits can result in steady energy levels. Even detox programs that allow beans, whole grains, specific meats and fishes such as Quinoa, organic meats and wild caught salmon, still gain all the benefits from a detoxification program.  I highly encourage you to limit your meat consumption, even on a detox that allows it, as it takes more energy for your liver, the cleanser and filter for our bloodstream, to process it. 
2). Curb Overeating and Food Addiction
There’s many reasons we overeat or become mildly or strongly addicted to certain foods. Some beneficial ways a detoxification helps: (1) Shockingly enough, most people eat less during and after a detox. Whether eating a healthy meal detox or a juice fast detox, caloric intake is often significantly reduced based on the quality of foods eaten. Even though the quantities are similar to your past eating habits, the elimination of foods high in sugar allows you to eat more healthy foods without the calories. Reduced caloric intake, according to several studies, produces measurable reductions in stomach capacity. (2) The foods allowed while on a detox allows you to focus more on healthy foods rather than foods that cause craving/addictions such as those with high sugar content since sugar is an addictive food. The mere shift of focus can influence your mind to stop a craving. (3) It encourages more planned meals and thoughtful food selections; (a) With planning and preparation of your daily/weekly meals, you will have healthy food/snacks available instead of reaching for the comfort or high craving foods especially when rushing or under stress, and less likely to overeat; (b) Having healthy snacks or vegetable juices readily available, for example, helps to alleviate long periods of hunger which leads to bad food selections.
3). Reset Food Choices and Help with Long Term Weight Loss
Most detox programs have ample healthy foods and snacks opening our minds and eating habits to more healthful, satisfying, nutrient-packed food choices.  Alternatively, when we do a detox where we simplify our intake with more vegetable juices, for example, we experience nourishing, slimming and energizing effects that our mind remembers resulting in grabbing a juice verses a candy bar.  Healthful, whole foods and exercise are encouraged on detoxes, and when we bring these healthy habits into our lives, it can significantly assist in weight loss results and a long-term healthy lifestyle.
4). Stronger Immune System and Lymphatic System Function
When we detox, we consume foods and beverages that are less taxing on our organs, allowing our organs to function normally and not have to over exert themselves. This allows optimal focus on their main function - the absorption of nutrients and vitamins which helps the lymphatic system function better. The health of our immune system is pivotal in our overall health. Raw foods and vegetable juices; exercise (of any sort); dry brushing the body; breathing exercises are all great ways to maintain a healthy body. They allow the circulation of lymph fluid through the body for better drainage. The importance of exercise and hydration is key for the proper function of the lymphatic system and cannot be stressed enough. Unlike the circulatory system that has a heart (pump) to help circulation throughout the body, the lymphatic system does not. If the lymphatic system is not working properly, the liver and kidneys will not drain toxins and chemicals as they should; therefore, they will remain in the body rather than be excreted properly. Aside from just being sick more often - which is often associated with a weak immune system, poor lymph system function can lead to digestive disorders, poor circulation, hormonal imbalances, weight gain, to name a few.

5). Clearer and More Focused Mind
People who detox often report clearer thinking and better ability to focus. It is no surprise that when we choose nourishing whole foods and healthy beverages that our minds have the fuel to think clearer and better. Sugar and fat-filled foods cause the body and mind to be lethargic. 

Toxins from yeast, bacteria and semi spoiled food can harm the liver and other organs including the brain which can cause brain fog symptoms. When food does not digest properly, it can actually rot, putrefy or ferment in the intestines encouraging bacterial and yeast (candida) imbalance dominating the probiotics or healthy bacteria. These effects can trickle to the health of our brain and the rest of our body. When we give our body's digestive system a break from processing "bad" food, through cleanse or detox, we're allowing our bodies the time to eliminate stored toxins followed by replenishing and nourishing it with nutritious healthy food. 

6). Better Breath
It is purported that toxicity in the body, and specifically the colon, can have a high correlation or strong relationship to bad breath. For example, spoiled food left in your refrigerator for days does not smell good  . . .  Well, why should it be different for our bodies and breath? Foods selected for a detox program encourage proper bowel movements and may, in some cases, alleviate constipation. In fact, some detox programs even recommend a colon cleanse. Don't be alarmed if your breath worsens at the start of a detox, it is likely occurring because toxins are leaving your body and this will eventually improve. So, be patient.

7). Improved Skin
All organs can benefit from a detox, particularly our largest organ -- the skin. Some report acne worsening then clearing, while others find their skin feels smoother or clearer after a detox. Taking a sauna can additionally help the body sweat out toxins. 

8). Lighter Feeling
Stop eating foods that bog you down! There's no question - whole foods will make you feel lighter. Cleanses focus on organic fruits and vegetables not only because they are nutrient-packed, but they leave us feeling less bloated and more energized.

9). Improved Sense of Well Being
No doubt, our bodies and minds feel the positive effects of a detox.  We are left with an overall feeling of well-being that permeates to other areas of our life. Often used as a start to a healthy eating lifestyle, a detox opens one's perspective to the positive choices about the foods we choose and starting an exercise routine needed for our overall health, well-being and peace of mind.

Saturday, July 30, 2016

Lower Back Pain - What Is the Cause of Lower Back Pain?

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What is the cause (or causes) of lower back pain?

Can you pinpoint the exact cause of your pain, so that you can treat it and get rid of the pain immediately? Sometimes you can. Though you need to be careful as back problems and symptoms have different causes.

 The Treatment Paradox 

Many people on the internet offer information on exact causes to help sell you a cure, and no doubt some of them even work. However, the concept of "cause" can be a tricky one - even to a doctor or
other medical professional. Very often your acute (or short term) pain will disappear naturally. In fact, most people have back pain during their life. It is a normal occurrence. And many times the pain goes away on its own without any type of treatment.

If you are using some type of treatment and your pain symptoms disappear, you might attribute the disappearance to whatever treatment you were receiving, when - in fact - the pain simply disappeared on it's own - the way a fever, cold, or a bad mood might simply go away on its own.

Likewise, human beings are complicated. We have unique lifestyles, beliefs and experiences.
Consider the popular medical idea that bone strength, muscle elasticity and muscle tone decrease with age. And that as we age the "discs" in the spine begin to lose flexibility and their ability to cushion and protect the vertebrae. That may be true. But does it cause the pain in your lower back? Not necessarily.
A person's bone density will decrease with age and perhaps even the disks in parts of their spine. But some people have damage in their lower disks and they have no pain. Your experience needs to be considered.

Here are some purported cause of back pain, especially pain in the lower areas of your back.. But keep in mind, many people also have the symptoms or conditions below but NO PAIN.

Injury or trauma to the back
Degenerative conditions such as Arthritis
Osteoporosis or other bone disease
Viral infections
Irritation to joints or discs
Spine abnormalities that a person is born with

Let's not forget so-called life-style factors such smoking, obesity, weight gain from pregnancy, stress,
general bad posture, and bad posture in certain tasks such as when lifting heavy objects. There are also factors such as a pinched or compressed nerve.

So when all is said and done, it is important to not use a treatment for your pain that is expensive or irreversible. For example, surgery for back pain is almost never recommended. Why? Because the symptoms may go away on their own or may go away with some type of gentle treatment such as massage, exercise, Feldenkrais sessions or other non-invasive (and cheaper) treatment.

Ryan C. Nagy, M.A. is a small business owner & consultant. Come see Ryan at http://www.ryannagy.com.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/3585127
Photo source: Wikipedia

Wednesday, July 27, 2016

What You Need To Know About Starting A Yoga Class

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Exercising has a lot of benefits. This includes mental, physical, emotional and spiritual. Attending a yoga class offers a more holistic approach to exercise than other traditional approaches. Here is what you can expect when you start attending sessions.

What to bring to a yoga class

You will need to bring a mat, which you will use during the session. If you are just starting your yoga class and you have not yet bought a mat, the best thing would be to call ahead and ask the instructor or studio if they have some extra mats that you can borrow before you can get around to buying your own. Before making a purchase, you can do some research or ask your instructor what the most suitable type of mat is. This is so that you can buy the right kind, considering that the mats come in different sizes, materials, lengths, colors and thickness.

You can also carry some drinking water when going for a yoga class and a towel to use if you get extra sweaty. Most studios will provide you with props that you may use during sessions, such as belts, blocks and blankets.

What to wear to a yoga class

The type of clothes you wear largely depends on the type of sessions that you are going for. Different
classes have different environments and different exercises to be carried out. For instance, if you are going for a Bikram session or a Power yoga class, you will typically sweat a lot due to the hot environment, so it would be appropriate to put on clothes that will wick away the sweat.
Your outfit also depends on the gender. For men, it is quite alright to wear baggy fitting t-shirts, while on the other hand, tight fitting tops will be more appropriate for women. This is because when carrying out some of the poses while in session, your top might come over your heady if it is too loose, leaving your torso exposed. Some women might find this uncomfortable and will spend the rest of the session trying to pose while pulling down their clothes all the time. This can be quite distracting.

When to arrive for your yoga class

Try and arrive a few minutes before the session is meant to start. This will give you ample time to get ready for the session. It will also give you the advantage of choosing a spot that you are comfortable with. This can be quite important if you are attending a popular or large session, where there will be many participants.

What to do when you arrive for your yoga class

Once you arrive for the yoga class, make sure to sign in. Also, you will most likely be expected to take off your socks and shoes before you walk into the room where the session will be held. Either ask or just check to see where other participants are leaving their shoes and follow suit. This might be in a cubicle or somewhere inside the room. It's also a good idea to switch off your phone.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/9481583

Tuesday, July 26, 2016

Three Quick Tips On How To Get In Shape For Summer

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As you know, I like to get in depth with health and functional medicine as I see some very serious cases. With that being said, I understand that I need to simplify concepts for people who just want to lose 20 pounds and feel better. Here are three easy tips you should follow if you want to have more energy and lose some unwanted weight for the summer.

Cut out all breads, bagels, cereals, pizza, pasta and grains for that matter. I know I will get questions on what about quinoa, spelt, ancient grains, whole wheat, whole grains, etc. I am not going to explain the difference as I do that in the forthcoming book but the quick and easy response is eliminate these carbs mentioned above. You replace them with healthy fats like olive oil, coconut oil, avocadoes, almond butter, nut butter, fatty fish, a few almonds/walnuts/macadamia nuts, organic eggs if not sensitive and grass fed organic meats.

Reduce your stress levels by practicing meditation, yoga, prayer, etc.. This is easier said than done but you can see a qualified practitioner who can run your labs so you will know your stress numbers. This is unbelievably important as stress leads to weight gain and even death. Trust me on this folks. The hormone cortisol is produced when you are under stress and you have four times as many cortisol receptors around your midsection and that is where the fat gets stored for most people.

I always inform my patients and clients to just move. Emotion is created by motion. Movement
causes your neurotransmitters to activate, you feel better and will even shed a few calories. Now I am not someone who counts calories and cares about how much I burn but quick, "relatively difficult" workouts get the heart rate up, blood flowing, hormones activated and metabolism moving. When you exercise for three to four times a week for thirty to forty minutes each session, you will see an expenditure of calories and this will point the scale in the right direction.

In my practice, I see people with varying health problems and disease. I would say that up to 95% of their cases can be resolved by changing their nutrition plan, making lifestyle adjustments and having a quality workout program that is congruent with their physiology and lab results. There is nothing better than seeing a client transform their life and progress every day.

Thank you,
Mike

http://www.mikedaciuk.com
Please listen to us at Interactive Body Balance on iTunes or at http://www.mikedaciuk.com. You can also e-mail us at info@mikedaciuk.com. Thanks
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Mike_J_Daciuk/1215965

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/9453855
Photo 2: By Raquel Baranow, Wiki Commons