Spring Cleaning and Detoxification

by | Mar 13, 2012 | Alcohol, Asian Medicine, Balance, Detoxification, Diet, Digestion, Exercise, Food, Gluten Free, Hydrotherapy, Meditation, Mental Health, Motivation, Nutrition, Outdoors, Recipes, Self-care, Stress, Sunshine

Now that the chinook winds have begun to blow, allowing us to shed our black, down-filled coats to reveal our pale, doughy winter flesh, we know it’s time to shed the clutter, dust and stagnation that kept us warm and comforted during the long Winter.

The urge to dump nobby sweaters and ripped jeans into black garbage bags destined for the clothing drive, to dust out nooks and crannies of our homes as we open windows to let the warm, fresh air clear out the old and stagnant usually grips us in the Spring.  The clearing away of icy cold as seedlings push their way through the once frozen soil reflects our inner desire to make room for a warmer, more active season and introduce new projects into our lives.  However, it is also important to pay attention to the stagnation and build-up that has accumulated in our minds and bodies over the cold Winter months.

Detoxification is a useful practice in the Fall and Spring when the changes in weather and daily routines reflect a sense of renewal and cleansing.  I personally believe that cleansing doesn’t have to involve the level of deprivation of The Master Cleanse, a liquid fast or other such “extreme” cleanses.  My philosophy is that detoxification should serve the purpose of “getting us back on track” as we pay specific attention to cleaning up our personal health care routine.  During this time it’s important to balance the mind, body and soul in nourishing stagnation-clearing practices in order to release excess weight, toxins and water retention that have built up over the winter.   It is also important to release ourselves from the depressed mental state and lack of motivation that can accumulate as a result of prolonged mental stress over the long, isolating and often sedentary colder months.

Just as we refresh our personal environments in the Spring, it’s also essential to extend this renewal to the spaces we inhabit. A thorough, mindful cleaning of your home or office can mirror the detoxification of our bodies and minds. Investing in services like Capable Clean can be an excellent way to ensure that every nook and cranny is attended to, utilizing eco-friendly products that align with the seasonal theme of cleansing and renewal. This approach not only clears out physical clutter but also helps to create a more inviting and energizing atmosphere.

Rather than using the phrase “detox” I prefer to use “Seasonal Self Care”.  Since not all of our daily routines, bodily constitutions and personal challenges are the same, nor should our Spring cleaning regimes be.  My personal routine is based on subduing Kapha dosha (which has the tendency to aggravate in the late winter and early Spring) and to focus on skin health, weight management and decreasing fatigue.  It takes into account my busy schedule and the need I have for nourishment during the long days spent in class. It also takes into account my habitual need for caffeine and inability to schedule that inconvenient and painful 2-day caffeine withdrawal headache.  Your personal life situation may be different.  The steps I will be taking for 14 days are as follows:

1) Engaging in 60 minutes of outdoor exercise a day.  Exposing myself to the Spring sun and fresh air (with its delicious Spring smell) helps increase natural vitamin D levels that decline over the Winter.  Opening up windows and spending time in the Spring air allows us to breath in the fresh oxygen that we are often deprived of while spending long hours indoors during the Winter.  Spring marks the light, uplifting feeling of being able to shed our winter coats, feel the air and sun on our skin and stretch out on the grass with a book, or go for a long walk in the sun.  Spending time outside not only increases daily activity levels, which in and of itself increases circulation and decreases stagnation and lethargy, but also uplifts mood and motivation, which can decline during the dark and depressing, often sedentary, Winter time.

2) Incorporating daily hydrotherapy.  Whether doing a steam inhalation for clearing the sinuses of Spring-time allergens, or invigorating circulation, increasing immunity and decreasing fatigue through alternate hot and cold showers, making hydrotherapy a part of a cleansing self-care regime is essential for clearing out the toxins that may have accumulated over the Winter.  Hydrotherapy increases circulation, decreases water retention and helps speed detoxification.  Be sure to drink an adequate amount of water, to give yourself hydro from the inside too.

3) Tonifying the liver.  According to Traditional Chinese Medicine, Spring is the season of the Liver.  A healthy, burden-free liver is more effective at clearing out physical toxins as well as stagnated emotional toxins, such as anger and frustration. Therefore, increasing liver function by minimizing exposure to toxins such as alcohol, caffeine and over-the-counter drugs (think Tylenol) is important.  Additionally, to stimulate liver function, I plan to have a few glasses of lemon water a day (according to TCM the liver loves sour tastes) and to collect some dandelion leaves to steep in hot water for an inexpensive, liver-cleansing tea.  A milk thistle supplement is another healthful addition to my daily regime to help rejuvenate liver cells and increase bile flow.

4) Silently looking inwards.  One part of bodily cleansing that is often not addressed in commercial detoxification plans is the importance of spiritual detoxification or mental cleansing.  During the Winter we spend most of our time inside, surrounded by work and assignments.  Because the weather outside is often unpleasant, we often turn our focus to work, which can result in a build-up of mental toxins and stress, not just physical ones.  Taking 5 minutes a day to focus on mental health by practicing alternate nostril breathing, sitting in silence, doing some quiet restorative yoga poses or practicing a short meditation (try Gratitude Meditation) can help to establish a connection with our mental state and spiritual health as we release our hold on old stresses and prepare to move from one busy season to the next.

5) Eating clean.  Although this is often the primary focus of all commercial cleanses or detoxification programs, I don’t necessarily believe that it’s the most important factor in Spring Self-Care.  Physical wellness and nutrition, while an essential component to whole body health, is still only one part of the whole picture. However, it’s important to focus on the physical body as well as the mental, emotional and spiritual aspects of health.  After a long winter of craving carb-heavy comfort foods and sugar-laden goodies, it’s sometimes nice to dedicate a period of time to eating “clean.” Mentally, it sets us on back on track and unburdens the liver and digestive system.  For me, this means a focus on eating fresh, whole foods and minimizing processed junk.  For the next 14 days of my period of Spring Cleaning I have chosen to follow these healthy dietary recommendations.

Eat:

– At least 10 servings of fresh fruit and vegetables a day.  Fruits and vegetables contain so many important vitamins, minerals and antioxidants (many of which we’re not even aware of yet) as well as glutathione, which is found in leafy greens and is important for detoxification and cell repair.

– Lean protein such as nuts, lean meats, legumes, fish, eggs and seeds.  Protein helps build up tissue and ensure adequate enzymatic reactions, as well as the synthesis of essential chemicals, like hormones, in the body.  It aids our metabolism and provides a sense of satiety.

– Fats from olive oil, fish, coconut oil, nut oils and butters.  Quality fats increase feelings of satiety, improve lipid profiles and even decrease inflammation.

– Whole grains such as quinoa, oats or rice, which balance blood sugar levels and provide an adequate intake of fibre.

In addition, I will attempt to minimize or eliminate the intake of the following foods:

– Dairy products, which aggravate Kapha dosha and the TCM Spleen.  I also have a slight dairy intolerance, which for me translates to not-so-hot cystic acne.  No ice cream for me.

– Gluten-containing grains: wheat, rye and barley.  These are difficult to digest and can cause inflammation, especially for those who are sensitive to gluten.

– Sugar, refined grains and processed or fried foods

– Toxins that burden the liver, such as alcohol, caffeine and over-the-counter drugs.  Personally I will be limiting my caffeine intake but not eliminating it entirely.

The bottom line is that Self-Care should work for you, not you for it.

Spring Self-Care recipe suggestion: This salad was invented on a day when I had no lettuce in the fridge.  It turned out to be a delicious nutrient and protein-rich lunch.  Fennel helps decrease gas and intestinal bloating, carrots contain important vitamins and minerals, apples are nutrient and fibre rich and almonds and tofu provide important fats and proteins.  Feel free to adapt this salad to your dietary preferences and requirements.

Carrot and Fennel Protein Salad:

Fennel, cut into bite-sized pieces

Carrot, cut into bite-size pieces

Apple or your choice, cut into pieces

A handful of raw almonds

Tofu, cut into small pieces

Creamy dressing: honey mustard, olive oil, hummus and red wine vinegar (or apple cider vinegar), mix together until smooth.

In a large container add the fruit, vegetables, tofu and nuts, cover with dressing and let all of the ingredients marinate in the fridge overnight.  Before eating, give the container a good shake and enjoy!

This salad provides a least 3 servings of fruits and vegetables, depending on the size of your salad.  Pair it with a smoothie, such as this one, and you have a delicious and detoxifying lunch to kick-start your Spring Self-Care.

An Exercise in Empathy

An Exercise in Empathy

by | Mar 8, 2012 | Art, Balance, Colombia, Culture, Empathy, Family, Healing Stories, Listening, Love, Naturopathic Philosophy, NGOs, Photography, Psychology, South America, Travel, Travel Stories, Volunteering, Volunteering Abroad

As mentioned before, naturopaths are not necessarily defined by our toolbox of modalities.   What, then, does define us as a profession?  As we witness a rise in the demand for complementary and alternative medicine, and with it, the rise in something called the “Holistic Medical Doctor”, what sets naturopathic doctors apart?

(more…)

Holy ‘Mole: Nature’s Perfect Food

Holy ‘Mole: Nature’s Perfect Food

by | Mar 7, 2012 | Art, Asian Medicine, Balance, Colour, Cooking, Diet, Food, Gluten Free, Nutrition, Recipes

I love guacamole.  The smooth, slightly bitter taste of fresh avocado, cut with the sour, clean taste of lemon, the pure pungency of raw garlic (I love garlic, especially raw), the sweetness of tomato, all rounded out with a hint of salt.

Guacamole, combined with some rice crackers, carrot sticks or healthy whole grain chips, is the perfect snack to lubricate a humorous, hand-waving, mid-afternoon conversation around the kitchen table.  It combines the 6 Ayurvedic tastes, making a balanced, nurturing snack to help foster communication and familial bonding.

Guacamole marks the beginnings of my dabbling in “Whole Foodism”, which began sluggishly before starting naturopathic school. In guac, each ingredient is whole, fresh and eaten raw, their ripe flavours mingling in the perfect taste bud-stimulating combination.  I remember a stiflingly hot afternoon, too hot to cook, sitting on the front veranda of my Cartagena, Colombia apartment, eating a cooling, soothingly filling guacamole snack.  It sure beat rice and beans…

This snack represents what health food should be: fresh, simple and a natural mingle of flavours.  Nature’s chemistry comes together to entertain, nurture and fuel. Ingredients are measured imprecisely, variably, depending on the size of the fruits in season, leaving each batch with a subtly different blend of flavours.  What could be more perfect than that?

The shear simplistic beauty of this snack became an inspiration for a quick, loosely painted rendition using acrylic, thickly and freely applied, on canvass board, created in my aunt’s Calgary home.

Perfect Guacamole:

2 ripe avocados: peel, mush and leave in one of the pits

juice from one fresh lemon

2 cloves of minced, raw garlic

1 tomato, cut into small pieces

1 pinch of salt

Mix well, dip rice crackers, chips or raw vegetables

Even Nonna loves it!

Defining Food Sensitivities

by | Mar 6, 2012 | Diet, Digestion, Elimination Diet, Food Sensitivities, Gluten Free, Leaky Gut, Naturopathic Philosophy, Nutrition, Skin health, Therapeutic Diets, Treating the Cause

It seems that almost everyone is “gluten-free” these days.  I often hear the following Frequently Asked Questions surrounding the gluten and dairy-free phenomenon: Is this a trend?  If these people have gluten allergies, why don’t they need to carry an epi-pen?  Is this just a weight loss fad?  For answers, read on for a naturopathic medical student’s explanation about food sensitivities.

Our immune systems are powerful things, they prevent us from the deadly pathogens we encounter daily (even those that happily reside in our own bodies).  When we get sick, it is often not the bug that causes our symptoms, but our own body that creates inflammation and feelings of lethargy and malaise as it fights the pathogen.  As necessary as our immune systems are, they also have the potential to attack the cells of our own bodies, which we see in a class of diseases termed autoimmune diseases.  Our gastrointestinal tract also has a powerful immune system of its own because it is important for our body to ensure the harmful pathogens that we accidentally ingest don’t enter the rest of our body.  This immune system, however, has the potential to react to non-harmful substances, like food proteins, and cause detrimental effects to our body.  This is known as a food allergy.

There are many types of immune reactions but one of the most common is the IgE (a type of antibody) hypersensitivity reaction.  This is the reaction experienced by people with hayfever and anaphylaxis (from peanut allergies, for example).  In these reactions, the body reacts to the otherwise non-harmful substance, such as a peanut, in a severe manner – potentially causing the throat to swell to the point where it closes, causing suffocation.  This is why people with peanut allergies must take extreme caution to avoid the source of their food allergy.

When someone claims to be allergic or “sensitive” to gluten or dairy, however, they are likely referring to an IgG mediated immune reaction, which causes different effects, to varying degrees. Rather than the very acute, life-threatening effects of some IgE anaphylactic immune reactions, IgG-mediated reactions often manifest as inflammation and chronic disease. In these types of food allergies, there is often the presence of “leaky gut” or intestinal permeability.  A normal intestine has rows of cells into which food molecules enter.  These cells are normally tightly linked by molecules called “tight junctions”, which prevent food molecules (proteins, fats and sugars) from entering the spaces between the cells.  This means that food molecules must go through the cells in order to get into the rest of the body.  When food enters our gut it is broken down by enzymes into its most minute particles and absorbed into intestinal cells.  In a normal, healthy body, we do not want complex particles of food to get into our blood stream. When large proteins are found in our blood, our body sees them as being foreign and potentially harmful, and our immune system attacks them.

In a person with leaky gut, however, the junctions between the intestinal cells are broken and spaces are created between the cells.  When food is taken in, whole proteins from the food (gluten is the protein found in wheat and casein is the protein in dairy products) slip through the spaces between the intestinal cells and enter the blood stream in large pieces.  The immune system then attacks these proteins, causing a series of unpleasant events, mostly involving inflammation and feelings of malaise.  Many scientists claim that chronic inflammation is the cause of all major disease.  Scientists are unsure what causes leaky gut, but some theories include general inflammation from stress, excessive alcohol consumption or a lack of friendly gut bacteria that keep the “bad” bacteria from taking over and wrecking havoc. However, there is an increasing body of evidence showing that leaky gut may be caused by a hyper-reaction of the gut’s immune system to certain foods.  These proteins then enter through the spaces between the cells into the bloodstream and to the rest of the body, causing a widespread array of unpleasant symptoms.

Most naturopaths profess that autoimmune-type diseases, inflammatory diseases, gastrointestinal complaints and some cases of psychiatric disorders coexist with some form of food intolerance and that, when the food that the patient is sensitive to is removed, the disease symptoms go away.  Examples of diseases that may be a result of food sensitivities include:

migraines

acne or other skin conditions

Lupus

Arthritis and gout

Irritable Bowel Syndrome or Inflammatory Bowel Disease

GI complaints such as bloating, gas or constipation

Ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s

Celiac disease (specifically defined as an allergy to gluten, the protein in wheat, rye and barley)

Psychiatric disorders, such as depression, schizophrenia or anxiety

Asthma

Childhood ADHD

Autism

Any disease in which there is pain or inflammation

And the list goes on.

Naturopathic testing for food intolerances involve the Elimination Diet, which is a strict removal of all foods that are common causes of sensitivities.  My clinical nutrition professor claims that in the majority of cases, gluten and casein (from dairy products) are the culprit.  The foods are removed for 30 days and most patients experience a complete reversal of their pain and symptoms.  Our professor told us an amazing story about a patient with autism who, at the age of 9 years old, began to talk for the first time after eliminating an allergy-causing food and then proceeded to live a normal life.

At the end of the removal phase, the patient is then asked to reintroduce the foods, in a controlled and systematic fashion, under the guidance of their naturopathic doctor.  If symptoms return upon reintroducing a certain food, then that food is deemed the culprit and, if they want to remain free of disease, they are advised to avoid that food for life.  Being gluten or dairy-free may be a difficult lifestyle change for some individuals, but, for most, it is a small inconvenience compared to the incredible results they experience.  Also, due to the growing understanding about the prevalence of food sensitivities, many gluten-free options and dairy alternatives are available at most restaurants and grocery stores.

Medical doctor Alan R. Gaby, wrote an excellent paper examining studies of patients with migraine headaches, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), asthma, arthritis and ADHD.  When put on the Elimination Diet, 92% of the migraine sufferers and 91% of the people with arthritis experienced complete reduction of symptoms.  No drug in the world has shown to produce results like that!

For the full paper, and the rest of the results, click here: http://www.altmedrev.com/publications/3/2/90.pdf

The Elimination Diet is a powerful naturopathic tool and has shown to improve and cure many patients’ symptoms.  It’s a great example of “identifying and removing the cause of disease”, which is one of the 6 principles of naturopathic medicine.  If you are interested in seeing how this diet may help you identify a food allergy and experience freedom from your symptoms, please contact a naturopathic doctor in your area.

Also check out http://www.elanaspantry.com/ or more of this blog, Art and Practice, for some excellent gluten and dairy-free recipe ideas!

The Power of Gratitude

by | Mar 5, 2012 | Addiction, Balance, Breath, Emotions, Empathy, Exercise, Finding yourself, Gratitude, Love, Meditation, Mental Health, Mindfulness, Psychology

I don’t know about you but the word “gratitude” carries a fair amount of guilt and resentment for me. Being citizens of privileged countries like Canada, we’re constantly told that we should be grateful, as in, “finish your food, there are starving children in Africa!”

This realization that we have certain things that others do not often results in guilty feelings about the facts of life that we’re not responsible for (directly) and cannot change.  Gratitude, at least for me, has associated feelings of injustice and helplessness.  It is almost as if that by admitting I am grateful for my food, my home, my family, my friends, etc., I am acknowledging the fact that I, more than anyone else, did not earn or deserve them and brings to light the possibility that these things can be taken from me.

When we talk about meditating on or cultivating a feeling of gratitude, the opposite is usually understood.  We seek to cultivate gratitude precisely for the reason that we are, in fact, not grateful and are focusing on the negative aspects of our lives, the things we are not grateful for.

However, gratitude is not about guilt-trips or comparisons.  It’s simply recognizing that we are all fortunate in our own way, helping us to see the full half of our glasses.

A classmate once showed a group of students and I a powerful and engaging visualization exercise based on recognizing the things to be grateful for in our lifes.  I often struggle in meditation, especially the stricter Vipassana or Zen meditations, in which we are told to calm and focus the mind.  It seems that more I try to focus the more I realize I am trying, pushing to make something happen and then the more I try not to try.  And try not to try not to try.  Until I get lost in a vast tangle of effort.  (How can we exert the effort to find effortlessness?) I found with the gratitude meditation, however, my mind calmed, focused and participated in the meditation.  My mind was free to conjure up images in a Freudian pattern of free association, and I simply had to acknowledge that I was, indeed, grateful for those things.

I started by sitting quietly and focusing on my breath, calming it, deepening it and quietening it.  The first thought I began with was “I am grateful for my breath.”  I began to feel a sensation of blissful relaxation as I reveled in the beauty, simplicity and luxury of my breath. Without trying to sound flakey, I found myself bask in the gratefulness for it.  I moved on to other body sensations, gifts and functions – “I am grateful for my lungs, for my brown hair, for a body that can meditate and relax, for this cushion, for the way I can stretch, enjoy yoga, exercise and move outside.” I let my mind wander on to the next object, maintaining mindfulness by reminding myself to acknowledge the gratitude I felt towards these things: my home, my dog, my school, country, books, nature, loving family, the sun.  Whatever came up, I recognized my gratitude for having it in my life.

The most therapeutic and eye-opening part of the meditation, however, was when my mind, as most minds do, began to wander to more negative aspects of my life, things that I wasn’t necessarily grateful for – my exams, work, stress, anxiety, family problems, school problems, uncertainty, long distance relationship, lack of money, etc.  I then realized how, despite what I originally thought, I was actually grateful for these things.  Negative experiences supplied the yin to my yang, they helped to balance and shape who I am and without these perceptibly negative times, I wouldn’t have faced the challenges and character-building situations that have made me who I am and led me to where I am.

Once I got the grateful ball rolling, the possibilities were endless.  After a few minutes, I ended the meditation and left with a clear sense of relaxation and satisfaction for all that I have, both positive and negative.

I’ve noticed that cultivating gratitude is an important ingredient in overcoming addictions and dealing with mental illness. In the AA meeting I recently attended, I noticed a running them of gratitude and the need to thank the Higher Power on a daily basis.  I once read a saying, “Image if you woke up tomorrow with just the things you thanked God for today.”  Whether you are comfortable with the G word or not, I think this idea opens our minds to the many riches we may not realize we have (not just the food on our table that we should eat because of the Africans who may not have it) but the totality of our life experience.

Traditional Chinese Medicine and the Spleen

by | Feb 29, 2012 | Acupuncture, Asian Medicine, Digestion, Food, Nutrition, Recipes, Traditional Chinese Medicine

According to the Five Elements Theory of Traditional Chinese Medicine, as taught to us in ASM 202 by Dr. Kassam, the Spleen and Stomach belong to the Earth element and are both responsible for digestion (the transportation and transformation of food into energy, or Qi).

According to our professor, The Spleen transports Gu Qi (the Qi, or energy, derived from food intake) to the rest of the body.  It nourishes muscles, limbs and the intellect by allowing us to think, study, focus, memorize and concentrate (hello, exam time!).

When the Spleen is out of balance, Spleen Qi or Yang Deficiency or even Dampness can manifest.  In the Western medical model, dampness is best explained as weight gain, or obesity: fluid retention, fat gain, abdominal distension, lethargy and difficulty concentrating.

The Spleen hates cold and damp foods and environments.  Eating fat, cold, damp and sweet foods can aggravate the Spleen and lead to dampness or other spleen pathologies. Think dairy, refined sugars, fried foods, starchy foods and raw foods.  (Eating to the bottom of a tub of Ben and Jerry’s while watching your favourite romantic comedy may be good for the soul, but it’s horrible for the Spleen!)

So, how can we tonify the Spleen and prevent or reverse dampness (read: lose weight)?

First, we need to help the Spleen digest food by making it easier to extract the necessary nutrients from the food we eat and letting what we don’t need go to waste rather than storing it as fat.

We need to focus on the foods that aid digestion and minimize the foods that the Spleen doesn’t like; foods that make it harder for the Spleen to digest and, thereby, contribute to dampness.

While working to tonify the Spleen it is important to avoid raw foods.  Digesting raw foods takes a lot of work and can be damaging to an already compromised Spleen.  It is important to cook foods, use warming spices, which help to prevent dampness by warming the body, and to avoid cold, sweet foods.

Eating in silence is important as it helps us focus our energies on digestion, allowing the Spleen to function optimally. Dr. Kassam, tells us that in Chinese cafeterias, rather than hearing the chatter you would expect to hear in a “Western” cafeteria all you hear is dense silence, interrupted by the occasional slurping noise or clattering of spoons against soup bowls.  As far as the Spleen is concerned, it is important to eat for the sole purpose of eating.  This means avoiding conversation, reading, checking email or studying while eating.

Avoid irregular eating habits and ensure that you eat a proper, protein-rich breakfast.  Being hungry in the morning and at regular meal times is a good sign that the Spleen is working properly.  According to TCM, hunger is the sensation of the Spleen “asking” for food.

Consider supplementing with a probiotic.  Creating a healthy balance of gut flora aids the Spleen with digestion by improving the terrain in which digestion occurs.

OK, so what should I eat?

It is important to focus on foods that are slowly cooked and served warm, such as soups and stews.  When preparing meals, use seasonal vegetables, moderate portions of meat and warming spices (ginger, garlic, turmeric, cardamom, etc.).

Congee is an excellent dish for tonifying the Spleen, aiding in digestion and reversing dampness or Spleen dysfunction. It is easy to digest, very warming and nutritive. To make Congee:

1 cup of rice (brown, long-grain or bismati, according to your preference)

9 cups of water

As many large chunks of fresh ginger (1/4 inch thick) as you desire

Any vegetables you have (preferably seasonal): mushrooms, kale, spinach, carrots, celery, etc.

Chopped green onions

Optional: chicken or turkey breast pieces

Bring pot to a boil over medium-high heat.  Cook on low for 2-3 hours, or until the soup has a creamy consistency.  Remove from heat and keep warm.  Makes 6 servings.

*This post is not meant to diagnose or treat any medical condition and does not replace the advice of a licensed naturopathic doctor or doctor of Traditional Chinese Medicine.

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