How to Stay Healthy in a Toxic World

 

Over the past decade or two I've noticed disturbing changes in our world, mainly that cancer has become an epidemic. I think, by now, most of us realize that the causes are largely due to the changes in our world. We have become a society dependant on chemicals. We not only deal with smog and pollution and car exhaust; but everything we eat or touch has been made to look better, feel better, smell better, taste better, grow better and last longer - with chemicals. This is true not only with our household cleaners, detergents, soaps and pesticides, lotions, perfumes, makeup, hair dyes and deodorants; but it has also crept into our food supply. We are toxic.

 

Changes have occurred slowly over years to accommodate the needs of our fast-paced society. More and more families not only need both parents (or the only parent) to work outside the home; but we live in the fast lane with multiple activities for ourselves and each of our children; which means there's not enough time to cook. So food companies have stepped up and provided more convenient foods to meet the need. Families are thankful and relieved. Over time, however, this convenience went from occasional to routine. What was meant to lighten the load once or twice a week has become the daily norm. What we're left with is processed packaged food that sits on shelves - in boxes, tubes, cans, jars, and bags - with weakened nutrients being ingested three times a day and loaded with hydrogenated fats, salt, high fructose corn syrup, sugar, artificial colors, artificial sweeteners, and preservatives - all chemicals, much of which our bodies do not recognize. These chemicals have created an acidic monster; one which needs to be dealt with if we are ever to recover from "chronicity".

 

After years of this abuse, our bodies get their fill and the revolt begins - we become chronically ill. So we go to doctors and they prescribe, you guessed it, more chemicals. Unfortunately because so many of the illnesses are deemed chronic, pills don't actually cure anything, they relieve symptoms. And nine times out of ten, they cause side effects which require another prescription. And so on it goes. "According to the Kaiser Family Foundation...the number of prescriptions filled each year increased by 39% between 1999 and 2009...The average American fills 12 prescriptions each year." http://www.cnn.com/2011/HEALTH/05/31/med.nation.too.many.meds/index.html.  We're overdosing on toxic chemicals and our bodies can't keep up.

 

So what can we do?

For one thing, we can become more informed.
A year ago when my chronic pain led the doctors to prescribe drugs and surgery, I opted to find an alternative solution. I started researching. Books such as "Clean", by Dr. Alejandro Junger; www.cleanprogram.com  "The Blood Sugar Solution", by Dr. Mark Hyman www.bloodsugarsolution.com ; "Minding My Midochondria", by Dr. Terry Wahls http://www.terrywahls.com/eating-the-wahls-way; and "The Gerson Miracle", by Charlotte Gerson www.gersoninstitute.com were invaluable.

I also started watching all the food documentaries I could get my hands on; such movies as "Hungry For Change" http://www.hungryforchange.tv/, "Forks Over Knives" www.forksoverknives.com, "The Gerson Miracle" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sbIixJI_oa4, "Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead" http://www.fatsickandnearlydead.com/, and "Food Matters" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r4DOQ6Xhqss, to name a few. Ingesting this kind of information began to open my eyes and I began to realize that I was the cause of my own illness. My body had been accumulating toxins for decades. The good news was, if I could cause the problem then I could also bring about the solution.

The second thing we can do to bring about change is to start making different choices wherever we can. After reading these books and watching these movies I knew I couldn't continue with the status quo. I had to make changes. I began by detoxing my body with the "Clean" diet (Junger). Because I was experiencing such amazing results after 21 days, I decided to continue with the diet a couple more months. During that time I learned, through the elimination diet, that I was gluten intolerant and dairy intolerant. This caused me to drastically change my eating habits which helped me drop 50 pounds. Because I wanted the changes to be permanent I investigated different places I could go out to eat which met my new standards. A few I found were, Six Main in Chester,  CT www.sixmain.com; GZen in Branford, CT www.g-zen.com; Claire's Corner Copia in New Haven, CT www.clairescornercopia.com ; Nature's Grocer and Cafe in Vernon, CT www.naturesgrocervernon.com ; and Fire and Spice in Hartford, CT www.firenspiceveganrestaurant.com . As you can see, one healthy change leads to another and another. But you must take that first step.

The last thing you can do to stay healthy in a toxic world is to begin where you are. Everyone is in a different place on this health journey. Don't look at someone else and say, "I could never do that". Find out what you can do, and start there. For you, maybe it means cutting out all high fructose corn syrup, or cutting down desserts to once a week, or maybe substituting cows milk with almond milk. Perhaps for you it means dusting off that elliptical or finding a walking buddy. No matter where you are on your health journey, it's important to keep moving forward. Don't let the busyness of life swallow up your health. You're worth taking care of.

Cleanse. How To Begin

 

According to Dr. Junger in his book, Clean, it is important to take a few days to get ready for the cleanse by eliminating the foods not allowed during the detox. This makes it easier to ease into the new way of eating for 21 days and tends to allow for more success. It also helps to relieve the possible withdrawal symptoms you may experience during the elimination and keep it separate from the rigors of the juice detox.

 

So now we're ready for Day 1 of the Detox.

 

This morning I took half a lemon and squeezed the juice into a glass of Spring water and drank it with my daily supplements. For starters I take a probiotic, a liver support (milk thistle), a One a Day, and an Omega 3. Dr. Junger has a regime of supplements he recommends in his book. Each person has to decide for themselves what is important and doable for their budget.

Because I'm used to sitting with a cup of coffee each morning, it is necessary for me to substitute a cup of herbal tea for this morning routine. I chose Smooth Move Tea by Traditional Medicinals since it helps to keep me regular, which is very important during the detox.

Last but not least, of course, is the juice itself. I use the Breville Juicer which Dr. Junger also recommends because it was more in my price range. There are better juicers to purchase if your budget so allows. My juice this morning is (for 2 servings) made up of organic vegetables and fruits:

10 carrots, scrubbed

1 large cucumber

1/2 lemon (with peel and rind)

1 green apple

1 Gala apple

3-4 stalks celery

1 small beet, with it's leaves

Because I use a Breville juicer (centrifugal $150-$200), I drink the juice within 30 minutes. I do not save this over for the evening meal. You can save it, however, if you purchase a masticating juicer ($350-$400) which keeps the nutrients intact longer.

Exercise and sweating is also very important during the detox to help get rid of toxins. However, it's important not to overdo. We have an elliptical which I use each morning. I go at a moderate pace for 40-50 minutes.

On the weekend, I was able to plan my meals and shop for ingredients. The more you plan and prepare the easier it is to follow through with your goals. One of the recipes I chose to make for my lunches called Quinoa Fennel Pomegranate Salad. It makes 4 servings which feeds both my husband and I for 2 days of lunches. I have adjusted some of the ingredients to make it "Clean" friendly.

Quinoa Fennel Pomegranate Salad

Adapted from Bon Appetit Magazine January 2012 issue

1/4 cup cold pressed olive oil

1 med fennel bulb, cut lengthwise into 1/4" slices

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

The juice of one fresh lemon

1 1/2 ground cumin (I didn't put this in since I don't care for the flavor)

1 cup quinoa, rinsed well

1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro or parsley

1/2 cup chopped fresh mint

1 Tbsp chopped fresh dill

Seeds from 1 small pomegranate

Bring quinoa and 3 cups of water or vegetable stock to a boil in a medium saucepan. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer until quinoa is cooked, about 15 minutes. Uncover and let sit 15 minutes before fluffing with a fork. Transfer to a large bowl.

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add fennel; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until fennel is just tender and lightly golden, 10 minutes. Stir in lemon juice and cumin. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.

Cut the pomegranate in half and, using a large spoon over a deep bowl, whack the pomegranate numerous times to release the seeds.

Add fennel mixture, chopped herbs, and pomegranate seeds to the quinoa and toss gently to incorporate. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper if needed.

This can be eaten hot or cold. I eat it over a large bed of spinach which incorporates more of an 80%/20% ratio of alkaline to acidic ingredients.

Before eating my lunch, I take a digest pill which helps to push things through the digestive tract.

In the afternoon I get quite hungry so I plan for a few snacks. You may have an extra juice again of course; but if you're looking to chew on something, a few almonds, cashews, or walnuts are a great snack as well as pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds. It is best to eat your seeds and nuts raw, unroasted and unsalted since cooking them destroys the digestive enzymes, which you especially need during the detox. I also enjoy almond butter on celery or rice cakes. Another thing I do is to keep drinking lots of herbal tea without milk or sugar. This and drinking plenty of filtered water tends to ward off hunger pains as well.

I try not to have a soup every night since the body still has to digest it slightly, but it is good to substitute for the juice on occasion for variety. So for dinner tonight I made a pureed butternut squash soup. (Serves 6)

Butternut Squash Soup

2 pounds butternut chunks

1 large onion

2 carrots

2 celery stalks

3 cloves of garlic

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

32 ounces vegetable or chicken stock, preferably homemade (see an earlier post)

1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

2 green apples, chopped

Salt and pepper

Toss the first five ingredients with the oil, salt and pepper and roast in a 400 degree oven for an hour, or until all vegetables are soft.

Place stock, apples and spices in a blender and add roasted vegetables. Blend until very smooth. Adjust seasonings with salt and pepper, if needed.

This was nice and thick and very tasty. It made enough for my husband and I to have for 2 dinners (he eats a little more than one bowl).

An important thing to keep in mind that Dr. Junger writes about, is to keep a 12 hour window between your last meal of the day and your first meal of the morning. The reason for this is to give your body a change to naturally detox the daily toxins. A typical meal takes 8 hours to digest. If there are 4 more hours before your next meal, it means your body now has a chance to get to work on finding and eliminating the toxins in the body which have built up during the day. Thus the 12 hour window.

I end my evening with another cup of Smooth Move Tea (my coffee substitute) but nothing else, in order to adhere to the 12 hour window rule.

Between the elimination portion of this program and the first day of detox, I am already seeing health and weight benefits. Hopefully you are seeing the same.

 

Is My Kitchen Toxin Free?

 

According to Dr. Alejandro Junger, the reason we're fatigued, sick, overweight, and have chronic pain is because toxins are trapped in our  bodies. In his book, Clean, he explains how they get there and how we can get rid of them. In a nutshell, toxins come from our environment, our homes, what we put on our bodies, and what we put in our bodies. He explains how we were created with a daily detoxification mechanism. He calls is a 12 hour window. In general, food takes about 8 hours to digest. Once the body is done with that job, it shifts to the job of detoxification; but only if we let it. Between dinner and breakfast there literally needs to be a period of 12 hours when we do not eat. This gives the body 8 hours to digest and another 4 hours to detoxify the toxins which have entered the body during the day. If we do not allow our bodies this daily detoxification then toxins accumulate, and over years inflammation and fat take over our system and we feel the affects of fatigue, sickness, being overweight, and chronic pain.

 

During the elimination portion of this program it is important that we educate ourselves as to where these toxins come from so we can eliminate them. What benefit would it be if we detoxify but we continue to allow the toxins entrance? Let's start with our kitchen food.

 

Dr. Junger explains that during this detoxification we must eat fresh whole foods. Nothing should come packaged in a box, jar, can, tube, bottle, or bag or have high fructose corn syrup, sugar, chemical sweeteners (like aspartame) or artificial colors in it. We should also eliminate any GMO (genetically modified organism) ingredients which are soy, canola, cottonseed oil, or corn. Also, gluten (wheat, barley, rye, bulgur, spelt, oats - except gluten free; dairy - including yogurt, cheese, ice cream, ricotta, milk; or the night shades (tomatoes, potatoes, sweet potatoes, peppers, or eggplant). All of these are toxic or have the potential of being toxic in the form of allergies of which we may not be aware.

 

In order to get ready for the 21 days of detoxification, we must clean out our cupboards and refrigerators, read labels, and start tossing.

 

What is left is fresh wholesome foods; vegetables, brown rice, quinoa, greens, fruits, antibiotic-free and hormone-free chicken and fish, etc.

 

Since doing this detox last year, I have taken a few shortcuts like buying vegetable or chicken stock in a box or jar. But for this fast I will once again make everything from scratch. So today, I will begin by making my own stock and freezing it for soup recipes and making quinoa during the cleanse.

 

      To make a chicken stock, you need a carcass of chicken bones, 2 onions-peeled and cut up, 4 carrots-peeled and cup up, 4 celery stalks cut up, 6 stalks of fresh parsley, and 1 Tbsp peppercorns. Put in a large pot and add one gallon of cold spring water. Bring to a boil then turn down heat to medium and simmer for 2 hours. Discard the carcass and the vegetables. DO NOT ADD SALT at this time since the stock will concentrate and could become too salty. Always salt just before you're ready to eat something.

 

      When cooking food starting from cold water, the flavor leeches out into the water, which is what we want here. When placing food in boiling water, the flavor stays in the vegetables. When making stock, we want all the flavor of the vegetables to find its way into the water. Then we toss the vegetables and start the soup with fresh ones.

 

Some may have concerns at how unseasonal it is to be drinking a cold juice for dinner when it's cold outside, so I've included a soup recipe which could easily be pureed with a blender and included as a "juice" for dinner.

Indian Dal Soup – Clean
Adapted from Dr. John McDougall recipes, by Veronica Patenaude

Serves 6
8 cups low sodium vegetable broth
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 large onion, minced
6 large garlic cloves, minced
2 Tbsp minced fresh ginger
2 cups dried red lentils, rinsed and picked over
2 ½ tsp roasted ground cumin
2 ½ tsp roasted ground coriander
¾ tsp turmeric powder
½ tsp ground cardamom
¾ tsp ground cinnamon
¼ to ½ tsp cayenne pepper
¼ to ½ tsp smoked paprika (optional)
Sea salt to taste
Freshly ground pepper to taste

1. Place oil in a large soup pot. Add the onions, garlic and ginger and cook over medium heat for 5 minutes to bring out flavors, stirring occasionally.

2. Add the vegetable broth, lentils, and all the spices.

3. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer for 20-25 minutes until the lentils are tender and falling apart. [At this point you could puree the soup with an immersion blender. If you don't have one, you should cool the soup slightly before pouring into a blender or Vitamix to prevent it from expanding and burning you during blending.]

4. Add water if a thinner soup is desired.

5. Check seasonings and add salt and pepper to taste.

 

 

My Yearly Detox Juice Fast

January is as good a time as any to clean out your system, mainly because it follows Thanksgiving, Christmas, Hanukkah, and many other holiday celebrations where food is invited in abundance. Last year I followed the 21-day detox according to the Clean book, by Dr. Alejandro Junger, and it changed my life. I got rid of toxins, pain, and weight. So here I am a year later and am ready for a follow up visit.

The first thing I've done is clean out the kitchen of holiday goodies. I'VE THROWN AWAY THE COOKIES. "What!!!" You say? That's right. The only other way to get rid of them is to eat them, so.... bye bye sugar.

The next thing is, I've found my Clean book and I'll be reviewing it to refresh my memory, but also to keep me in motivation mode. It's really important for me to get my head in gear so that once I start I'll have no excuses to turn back or "cheat". Perhaps I'll also re-watch one of my favorite food documentaries: "Hungry For Change", "Fat Sick and Nearly Dead", or "Forks Over Knives". We humans get ourselves excited and motivated but then it tends to trail off. So we need to refresh our memories - often.

The third important thing I'll do is find some "Clean" recipes that I can live with, at least 7 for starters, to get me through the first week of lunches. Throughout the past year I've had a keen eye out for "Clean" recipes, so I've got a few up my sleeve. There are also some in the book. Then I'll be making a shopping list. I've also collected a few juicing recipe books so I think I'll glance through those and pick out some favorites for my grocery list.

The fourth thing on my "to do" list is to eliminate the "no-no" foods from the house and from my brain. Over the past year some of these foods crept back into my diet, so I'll be eliminating them again for the 21-day detox. One of the purposes of eliminating these foods was to see if any of my health issues were, in fact, allergic reactions to food. It was a great surprise, and relief, to find that I was indeed allergic to gluten and dairy. My life changed dramatically for the better after permanently eliminating these.

YES INCLUDE THESE FOODS	NO EXCLUDE THESE FOODS
FRUITS: whole fruits, unsweetened, frozen or water-packed, diluted natural juices	Oranges, orange juice, grapefruit, strawberries, grapes, bananas
DAIRY SUBSTITUTES: rice, nut milks such as almond milk and coconut milk	Dairy and eggs, milk, cheese, cottage cheese, cream, yogurt, butter, ice cream, nondairy creamers, canned coconut milk
NON-GLUTEN GRAINS AND STARCH: brown rice, millet, quinoa, amaranth, buckwheat	Wheat, corn, barley, spelt, kamut, rye, couscous, oats
ANIMAL PROTEIN: cold water fish, wild game, lean lamb, duck, chicken, turkey	Raw fish, pork, beef, veal, sausage, cold cuts, canned meats, hot dogs, shellfish
VEGETABLE PROTEIN: split peas, lentils, legumes	Soybean products (soy sauce, soybean oil in processed foods, tempeh, tofu, soy milk, soy yogurt, etc.)
NUTS AND SEEDS: sesame, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, hazelnuts, pecans, almonds, cashews, walnuts, nut and seed butters (organic)	Peanuts, peanut butter, pistachios, macadamia nuts
VEGETABLES: preferably fresh, raw, steamed, sautéed, juiced, roasted	Corn, creamed vegetables, tomatoes, potatoes, eggplants, peppers, sweet potatoes
OILS: cold pressed olive, flax, safflower, sesame, almond, sunflower, pumpkin, walnut, coconut	Butter, margarine, shortening, processed oils, salad dressings, mayonnaise, spreads
DRINKS: filtered water, green tea, herbal teas, seltzer or mineral water, yerba mate	Alcohol, coffee, caffeinated beverages, soda pop, soft drinks
SWEETENERS: organic brown rice syrup, organic agave nectar, stevia	Refined sugar, white or brown sugars, honey, maple syrup, high-fructose corn syrup, evaporated cane juice, Splenda, Equal, Sweet ‘N Low, etc.
CONDIMENTS: vinegar, all-spice, sea salt, dried pepper, basil, carob, cinnamon, cumin, dill, garlic, ginger, mustard, oregano, parsley, rosemary, turmeric, thyme, raw cacao, small amounts of miso, small amounts of wheat-free tamari	Chocolate, ketchup, relish, chutney, soy sauce barbecue sauce, teriyaki sauce, other similar condiments

And the last thing I'll do is indulge in my favorites - a glass of wine here, some peanut butter there - just one last time before a 21-day hiatus. Not everything on the "no-no" list is forever banned, but I do eliminate them just for the cleanse. Who knows, maybe I'll find that something else is wreaking havoc to my system and needs to be furrowed out. After all, my goal here is to be and feel as healthy as possible, so I WANT to find the culprits.

I'll be doing the elimination portion for the next week, and then start the actual 21-day detox on Friday, January 11, 2013. Please come and travel with me on my journey in search of better food for better health. I wish you all a happy and HEALTHY New Year.