Do we need to detox?

 

New year – new resolutions – dry January?

 

Many of us decide to take some time off the booze after the festive season but does it do us any good? Let’s explore the facts…

 

The liver, our body’s detoxification organ

 

The liver has a role in many biological functions but it’s efficacy reduces as we age; think of a sieve and how it clogs up the more we try to put through it - so it is important to support it especially as we get older. 

 

The main functions of the liver are:

 

·     Processing of nutrients from the intestines to make them more easily absorbed regulating levels of protein, fat and glucose

·     Produces blood clotting chemicals, cholesterol & proteins

·     Stores minerals such as iron and vitamin A

·     Removes toxins from the blood including alcohol, drugs and medications

·     Destroys old blood cells & hormones

 

What affects our liver function?

 

We know that alcohol and drugs can affect liver function. We don’t sleep as well after a few drinks or a heavy, fatty meal because our liver is very active during the night working on detoxifying and it actually disturbs us, often waking us up.

 

All chemicals and toxins (bacterial, viral & fungal) in our environment have to pass through the liver and there are 2 phases to this process. Each phase needs specific nutrients and co-factors and if we are missing any of these, this process can be interrupted half-way through resulting in a potentially more toxic compound which can lead to symptoms such as headaches and nausea.

 

Certain foods also burden our liver causing cirrhosis in extreme cases:

 

§  Uncooked shellfish containing toxins

§  Large fish e.g. tuna & swordfish containing heavy metals

§  Junk food reduces our nutritional status and we could be missing the necessary vitamins and minerals for detoxification to take place

§  Wild mushrooms – can be very toxic

 

 

What are the risk factors for an unhappy liver? What should we be reducing or avoiding as we get older?

 

o   Alcohol – don’t drink everyday

o   Drugs – legal & illegal! Even paracetamol adversely affects our liver

o   Tatoos – ink has been found in liver cells!

o   Environmental chemicals – pesticides, herbicides and industrial

o   Plastic wrap & aluminum foil

o   Non-stick cookware

o   Obesity – our fat cells store toxins

o   Saturated animal fat – also stores toxins

o   High sugar intake (fatty liver- more about this later)

 

Some illnesses affect liver function and may need extra nutritional support:

 

·     Viral infections including hepatitis A, B & C

·     Gilbert’s Syndrome

·     Autoimmune disease

·     Gall stones & gallbladder issues

 

What signs tell us our liver is in trouble?

 

ØGas & bloating

ØAcid reflux or ‘heartburn’

ØConstipation

ØHeadaches

ØHigh blood pressure

ØFatigue

ØMoodiness, anxiety & depression

ØPoor appetite

ØNausea

ØExcessive sweating

ØDifficulty losing weight

ØJaundice

 

So, we have all heard of dry January but does avoiding alcohol for just a month really help?

 

Definitely! When we drink alcohol (sugar) or eat sugary food to excess, over time, our liver cells fill with fat. When there are no more cells to fill, the fat ends around our liver getting thicker over time. This is known as ‘fatty liver’ or non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) as a result of too much sugar. When we reduce sugar intake, the fat dissipates allowing our liver to work better. It might not all disappear during one month’s abstinence but it reduces, improving function.

 

What can we do to look after our liver?

 

üLimit alcohol

üLimit sugar & processed foods

üOpt for natural self-care products

üUse natural / ecological house-hold & cleaning products

üChoose organic foods particularly meat & dairy

üInclude protein in every meal – up to 60g daily or 1g/kg body weight

üEat plenty of ‘brassica’ veggies; broccoli, cauliflower, kale, cabbage

üDrink filtered water – 2 liters daily

üExercise – sweat out toxins giving your liver a break

 

If we feel we need a little extra help, include:

 

    Veggie smoothies with green detox powder

    Add ground or soaked flax seeds to diet

    Increase B vitamin foods – leafy greens & wholegrains

    Make your own fermented foods; kefir, sauerkraut, kimchi

    Milk thistle

    Antioxidant formulas

 

If we try to live ‘clean & green’, we can positively impact liver function as it will have a knock on effect in helping the rest of our body function better; we may have a clearer mind, more energy and be healthier overall for longer.

Make your health span equal your lifespan!

 

And if you missed dry January, there’s always dry Feb!

 

Susie Thomson-Bowen 2021

 

Further reading

 

Look up the ‘dirty dozen/clean 15’ – the EWG’s (Environmental Working Group) yearly chart of which foods we should prioritize eating organically.

Far-infra-red saunas for detox

Coffee enemas & colonics

Skin brushing

Oxygen therapy

 

 

If you have a personal issue & feel you might need support or extra information on detoxing please contact susie@nutritionaltherapy.rocks

 

Refrences: 

https://draxe.com/health/liver-function/

https://drhyman.com/blog/2020/10/26/podcast-hc28/

https://www.christinebailey.co.uk/top-signs-you-need-to-detox/

 

 

Dark chocolate nutty Christmas cake

my favourite gluten-free dairy-free alternative

 

 

225g dark chocolate – minimum 70% chopped

5 large eggs separated

peel of 1 orange

25g coconut oil / butter

225g blanched hazelnuts (try to buy as it’s a faff!)

225g walnuts 

5 drops vanilla extract

65ml brandy/rum/whisky

1 tsp cinnamon

200g sugar – coconut/ rapudra/ raw/caster

 

 

preheat oven to 180*C

line cake tin with baking paper

 

put nuts & chocolate into food processor and pulse until grainy but NOT finely ground

transfer mix to a large bowl and add vanilla, brandy, cinnamon, melted coconut oil and sugar and mix well

add egg yolks mixing well & add orange peel

whisk the egg whites till stiff then fold spoon by spoon into cake mix

being careful to add in plenty of air……

transfer mix into cake tin and bake for 1 hour/1 hour + 10 mins covering if it is browning too much

check with a skewer to see if cooked trough

remove from oven and rest for a few minutes before turning out to cool

 

serve with a blob of yoghurt dusted with cinnamon & grated cacao

 

store in fridge for a couple of weeks wrapped in foil or freeze for easy entertaining

 

merry christmas – enjoy!

 

 

 

adapted from delia – thanks D!

 

Christmas chocolate-hazelnuts bites

-easy-to-make, dairy-free, gluten-free veggie vegan recipe that’s loaded with fiber, antioxidants and nutrients.

Hazelnuts are a good for unsaturated fats, magnesium, calcium and vitamins B and E - great for your heart and digestive health.

Cashews are rich in iron, phosphorus, selenium, magnesium and zinc, phytochemicals, antioxidants, and protein.

Medjool dates are high in dietary fiber, supporting colon health. Dates also bind with substances containing cancer-causing chemicals and prevent LDL (bad) cholesterol absorption.

Put all these ingredients together and you’re packing quite the health supporting punch!

Yields approximately 20 squares

Ingredients

BITES:
1 cup hazelnuts
1 cup cashews
1/4 cup organic rolled oats
8 pitted medjool dates
2 Tablespoons coconut flour
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup real maple syrup or raw honey (or a low-sugar alternative like a stevia based syrup)

CHOCOLATE COATING:
250g dark chocolate
Cacao nibs, for topping or cocoa powder
Large-flake sea salt, for topping

Instructions

1.  BITES:
Place hazelnuts and cashews in a food processor, fitted with a blade attachment.  Pulse to roughly chop.
Add medjool dates, rolled oats, coconut flour, sea salt, vanilla and syrup (or honey).
Run processor (stopping to scrape sides as needed) until mixture comes together in a ball.
Line 8×8-inch pan with parchment paper.
Flatten and press mixture into the bottom of the parchment-lined pan.
Place in refrigerator to chill for 15 minutes.

2.  DIP THE BITES IN CHOCOLATE:
Melt the dark chocolate in a heat-proof bowl set over a pot of simmering water.
Remove bites mixture from the refrigerator and cut up into 1 1/2 inch squares.
Drop each square into melted chocolate to coat all sides.
Remove squares with a fork and let the excess chocolate drip off into the bowl.
Place chocolate covered bites onto parchment paper.
Sprinkle the tops with large-flake sea salt and cacao nibs.
Once all bites are coated, place in refrigerator for 30 minutes to chill.

So easy and delicious! Enjoy!

(adapted from Dr Nalini’s recipe)

Vitamins C & D versus Covid-19

Immune support: how to look after ourselves during the pandemic

A look at vitamins C & D in the fight against Covid-19.

 

 

Eating healthily, decreasing stress levels and living an active lifestyle will help us to stay healthy- it might not stop us catching the virus but it could help our odds of survival and reduce any long term effects which seem to be diverse and can be life-changing.

As with any illness, our need for nutrients particularly antioxidants increases so it’s a good idea to build our resilience in the face of a pandemic.

 

 

You may have heard of some ‘alternative’ (we prefer the term ‘complementary’!) therapies used to fight the virus; there were reports from China earlier this year about the use of high dose intravenous vitamin C  (IVC) in ICUs with great success. Newer reports have shown a correlation between serum vitamin D levels and symptom severity.

 

Let’s look at vitamin C: 

 

In October there was a study done in an ICU ward in the UK that found most Covid-19 patients had negligible serum vitamin C levels. Vitamin C is one of the first nutrients to be used up by the body in times of stress and illness – it is a major antioxidant and as illness creates physical stress in the body, the toxic residue is mopped up by vitamin C molecules to help excrete it. These patients were found to have scurvy levels of vitamin C during their illness showing probable lower than healthy levels before illness; the body had used up whatever was available needing more to help with the particles of virus ‘die off’ during treatment. When the Chinese patients were given high dose IVC, they were found to recover quicker and in fact, deaths reduced by one third. 

 

A very simplistic view on how antioxidants work – stress and disease cause free radicals – little toxic particles of oxidation (like rust) and antioxidants are used to neutralise them. We need to be eating lots of foods containing anti-oxidants in times of high stress or threat of disease.

 

As we age, our body needs more vitamin C on a daily basis to deal with the build up of toxins as our body’s detoxification capacity slows. Compounded with a diet which is possibly less diverse and less ‘fresh’ than it once was, we see a critically low level of vitamin C in the older population – could this be why our elders are more vulnerable to Covid-19? I think it might be a factor.

 

So, if we contract the virus and we don’t have optimal levels of vitamin C, how likely are we to survive? An optimal level in the blood is 100umols but the average seen is 50umols. Vitamin C is relatively easy to get from most fruit and vegetables, highest in citrus fruits and leafy green veggies, fortified foods and of course supplements. We are advised to get our nutrients predominantly from food as our bodies like to have them in their natural state to increase bioavailability (absorption and use) but depending on our levels, we might also supplement (acerola cherry).

 

Best sources of Vitamin C:

 

·     Kale

·     Cantaloupe melon

·     Broccoli

·     Red /yellow pepper & chilli pepper

·     Citrus: orange & grapefruit

·     Kiwi fruit

·     Rose hips

·     Blackcurrants

 

 

Vitamin D

 

Possibly the most important immune supporting vitamin is D and it has just been sanctioned for use by the NHS in the UK in their fight against the virus providing free doses for patients at high risk. Unfortunately so far the recommended dose is low in my opinion but the message is out there finally.

 

Vitamin D is crucial to the functioning of our immune system but it is often tricky to get enough from foods; we are shopping less frequently these days so fresh fish several times a week is not possible- oily fish is probably the best source of vitamin D then eggs and dairy. For those preferring a plant-based or vegan diet these days, supplementation is often necessary to reach optimal levels. Vitamin D is also good for our mood, very important at a time when mental health is a hot topic.

 

Vitamin D serum levels are often low in cancer and many other chronic illnesses in fact, low vitamin D status can be a risk factor for disease . 

 

I cannot emphasize how important vitamin D is so include these foods in your diet daily:

 

·     Dairy products - fortified with D

·     Other fortified foods (avoiding ‘junk’ food)

·     Goat’s milk

·     Fish & fish oils

·     Eggs

·     Mushrooms

·     Liver & red meat

 

Sunlight....

The sun does not actually produce vitamin D, rather it activates a cascade of reactions in our body resulting in vitamin D production. Ideally, we should spend 20-30 minutes in the midday sun during the summer months depending on our skin tone but at this time of year, even in the sunny South of France, the sun isn’t strong enough and we are advised to supplement - especially this winter!

 

So, to summarise how we can protect ourselves through diet and lifestyle:

 

·     Eat a good variety of fruit & veg – a rainbow of colours – each different colour represents a protective plant chemical (polyphenol)

·     Include some organic vitamin D rich foods

·     De-stress – stress uses up our resources of vital nutrients

·     Daily activity outdoors in the fresh air – use our full hour allowance!

 

Our government should tell us to supplement

The Swiss Nutrition Society who advises the Government are recommending all citizens supplement with vitamin C & D to ‘strengthen the immune system’.

 

There are other factors to immunity like looking after our gut bacteria and ensuring we are getting enough micronutrients like selenium & zinc but that’s another story perhaps for next time.

 

 

Email susie@nutritionaltherapy.rocksto book a consultation or go to www.nutritionaltherapy.rocksfor further information on how I can help you.

 

References:

 

https://www.dr-rath-foundation.org/2020/11/british-prime-minister-advocates-micronutrient-supplementation-to-alleviate-the-coronavirus-crisis/

https://www.patrickholford.com/blog/vitamin-c-cuts-covid-deaths-two-thirds/