Is Detox For You?

The Detox Healing Crisis

By Dr. Andra Campitelli, ND

After years of filling your body with cheese, bread, sugar, chemicals, additives, alcohol and well, junk, you’ve finally decided to turn over a new leaf. It’s about time you get on the detox bandwagon! Everyone says you’ll feel amazing and lose a ton of weight so you decide to jump right in with both feet first. And, after one day you feel like garbage! You smell different, you have headaches, you’re exhausted, weak, tired, irritable, bloated and all of a sudden you’re back to your teenage years and have ridiculous breakouts! You feel congested, your nose runs, old problems flare up and you’re starting to wonder, what on earth is the point of all this because it certainly doesn’t feel like you’re getting better and “good for you” doesn’t quite sum up how you’re feeling. So, if a detox is supposed to be good for you, why does it feel SO bad?

I was 21 when I did my first detox to try to solve my food allergy concerns. After one week, I threw in the towel because I felt beyond TERRIBLE! I couldn’t eat anything, I was congested, I was nauseous all the time and had ridiculous headaches, so I figured a detox was NOT for me.  Two years later, still feeling unwell, I tried a detox again (the right way), stuck with it and achieved the results I was looking for.

My advice? Persevere because this too, shall pass.

So, what IS going on with all these unpleasant detox symptoms? When people ask me why they should detox and why they feel so poorly while on a detox, I get a bit mechanical. Let’s compare it to a car. You take your car in for regular maintenance and oil changes to get rid of all that gunk that has built over the past few months. Now, imagine owning a car for 10 years and NEVER having an oil change or tune up. Your mechanic would be furious and your car may very well keep running (certainly not well, though), but dirt would accumulate, the oil would get thick and not lubricate properly, filters would clog, your brakes would have worn down, your shocks would be shot, just lots of problems that will cost you a ton of money down the road as well as take a long time to fix. It’s inconvenient, painful (once you get the bill) and someone’s got to go in there and flush it all out and fix all that accumulated damage.

Same goes for your body. You spend YEARS filling it with junk and NEVER giving it a break, flush or a tune up. So, don’t expect the cleaning process to go smoothly or quickly. It’s going to take a while and more than likely, it’s going to be most unpleasant. There’s a lot of work to be done, but the final outcome is absolutely worth it. When it comes to our bodies, cleaning doesn’t happen overnight. When you hear the expression “You are what you eat”, it is absolutely true! If you have filled your body with unhealthy chemicals, additives, cleaners, fumes, etc., then what do you think makes up the majority of your body and cells? And, getting this stuff out won’t be an easy or pleasant task, but it is 100% essential.

Toxins are generally stored in the fatty tissues. This means that when they accumulate, they go straight in your fat cells. This is another reason why toxin accumulation contributes to weight gain and why most people lose weight while detoxing. During a detox, your body starts dumping all this accumulated “stuff” from the fat cells back into circulation causing tons of toxins to circulate in your blood, lymph, gut, everywhere and you start to feel like rubbish. All of your energy is diverted to getting rid of this huge toxic overload that needs be out of your system.

You need to ensure you’re doing two things:

1)  Stop giving your body the foods and chemicals that contribute to this state, so it has energy to deal with and eliminate the toxins without the added stress of new ones coming in. Your body needs a rest. Give it one. It also best to avoid environmental and chemical toxins at this point as well. Try to avoid the use of plastic water bottles and Tupperware (glass is always better), use organic and natural cleansers, body washes and face products. (See the online Detox Meal Plan in the Nutrition Section at Truestar.com for detox diet strategies).

2)  Supplement! You need to not only help pull those toxins out of the cells, but you need to support the organs of elimination so that the body can effectively get rid of those unwanted circulating chemicals. Gastrointestinal health is one of the most important factors here as this is the primary organ of elimination. Reestablishing that gut health is key.

As the toxins slowly begin to move out of the body, you WILL start to feel better, I promise!  This detox crisis usually lasts about three days for most people, although it may be longer, depending on how tough you’ve been on your body over the years.  Once this passes, you will move from good to better than you’ve felt in years.  Often people don’t realize how unwell they really are until they feel truly well.

So, persist! It will get better after it gets worse and the health benefits are definitely worth it.

Signs & Symptoms that may benefit from a detox: -  digestive complaints -  skin conditions (eczema, psoriasis, acne) -  mood changes -  sleep problems -  food cravings -  unexplained weight gain -  headaches/migraines -  constant colds & infections

Below is my preferred detox protocol and can be found at GlimpseMedical:
TrueBASICS with Lean Extreme (if weight loss is your goal): 1 pack twice daily with meals. Often I will mix this in with a pack of the TrueBASICS A/O.
Otherwise, TrueBASICS for Men or Women

TrueDETOX & Cleanse: If you feel that you have a large toxic burden, you may want to start small with 1 pack daily, 30 minutes before meals for your first week. You can then increase this to 1 pack, twice daily, 30 minutes before meals. Don’t forget to drink lots of water!

Additional Supporting Supplements:
TrueB Complex: For additional energy, nutrient support and stress support.

TrueSTRENGTH: Protein shakes are a great way to get clean nutrients into the body without stressing the digestive system, so try incorporating a shake for breakfast every day.

TrueD: For overall health benefit and antioxidant support at 2000 IU daily.

TrueOMEGA: Healthy fats are essential and can assist with weight and inflammation management.
Good luck!

This article has been reposted from http://truestar.com/article.aspx?article_url=the-detox-healing-crisis

Chair, Wall, & 7 Minutes

 

 illust. by Ben Wiseman for Fitness May 9, 2013, The Scientific 7-Minute Workout By Gretchen Reynolds

Chair, Wall, & 7 Minutes 

by Henry Crossen 

It is well known that proper management of energy is vital to sustaining optimum performance in all phases of our lives. However, the stresses of modern life can insidiously chip away at our ability to create, and conserve, energy. The end result is chronic, pernicious fatigue (physical, but also emotional and mental) which often manifests in a pervasive dissatisfaction with our lives – work, family, friends, and self esteem. In time we are liable to end up looking back forlornly on our past “glory days,” with no impetus to regain our former go-getting selves.

It is also no mystery that one of the surest ways to recapture that old “spark” is by a diet and fitness regimen that helps our bodies physically produce and conserve energy levels. A proper diet and exercise routine is vital and aids in sleep, the ability to wake and remain alert throughout the day, and it improves overall mood and disposition. It also assists in sexual performance, all of which add up to a better feeling of self.

Exercise has long been broken up into two general categories: aerobic exercise and resistance (or weight) training, each of which fulfilling various specific needs for the body in maintaining overall fitness. Traditionally, resistance training often is performed separately from aerobic training — typically on two or three nonconsecutive days each week. The American College of Sports Medicine recommends 8 to 12 repetitions of a resistance training exercise for each major muscle group at an intensity of 40% to 80% of a one-repetition maximum. Two to three minutes of rest is recommended between exercise sets to allow for proper recovery. Anyone with a modicum of experience with exercise is likely aware of this. But we all know it’s not the what nor the why that becomes a problem for most of us when it comes to exercise: it’s the when.

When do we make time for exercise? Many of us have highly demanding work and personal schedules that prohibit spending even one hour at the gym four or five times a week. The time just is not there for us, and hitting the gym just twice a week feels more like we’re just spinning our wheels. We neither see nor feel and kind of improvement in our bodies or our energy levels. More often than not we leave the gym feeling exhausted and wake up sore the next day, wondering why we even bothered in the first place.

Plus, working out at home feels at best inadequate or at worst, just plain embarrassing. Many of us have children or significant others and spending an hour or so grunting away on a doorway chin bar or ab cruncher while they step over, under, or around us with looks of vague disdain or impatience does us little favor. Like they say on those terrible late night TV infomercials, There’s got to be a better way!

Well, there is and it’s called HICT – High Intensity Circuit Training. Recent scientific research at the Human Performance Institute, Division of Wellness and Prevention in Orlando, Florida suggests it can take the place of prolonged endurance training, reaping virtually the exact same fitness benefits. Research even strongly suggests an HICT routine can increase lung capacity, reduce subcutaneous fat, and even decrease insulin resistance (a known precursor to Type 2 Diabetes).

The upside? It only takes seven minutes to get the same workout you would after a long run and a visit to the weight room. The trick, such as it is, is that those seven minutes are occupied with a nearly nonstop maximum capacity effort. 

Of course being interval training you do get to rest – but just for 10 seconds. Just long enough to catch your breath and switch to one of the twelve total exercises in the routine. The key is that each 30 second exercise alternates between the major muscles of the upper body with those of the lower body; this way, your body gets more rest in its principle areas between exercises.

Better yet, no special equipment is required as all the resistance effort is against your own body weight. As such, the program can be done anywhere – at home, in your office, wherever!

The following is an example of a 12-station HICT program. The exercise order allows for a total body exercise to significantly increase the heart rate while the lower, upper, and core exercises function to maintain the increased heart rate while developing strength.

Exercises are performed for 30 seconds, with ten seconds of transition time between. Total time for the entire circuit workout is approximately seven minutes. The circuit can be repeated two to three times for maximum results.

1.    Jumping Jacks            (Total body)

2.    Wall Sits                     (Lower body)

3.    Push-ups                    (Upper body)

4.    Ab Crunches              (Core)

5.    Chair Step-ups           (Total body)

6.    Squats                        (Lower body)

7.    Chair Triceps Dips      (Upper body)

8.    Planks                        (Core)

9.    Running in place          (Total body)

10. Lunges                         (Lower body)

11. Push-ups                      (Upper body)

12. Side Planks                  (Core)

A workout routine that yields significant benefits and is easily adapted to a busy schedule? It’s about time!

You can read more on this in the 05/12/2013, on page MM20 of the NewYork edition with the headline: The Scientific 7-Minute Workout.

Brett Klika, Chris Jordan. High-Intensity Circuit Training Using Body Weight: Maximum Results with Minimal Investment. ACSM’s Health & Fitness Journal. May/June 2013 volume17:issue 3. 8-13

Healthy Pasta Dinner (yes, it's possible)

So, today at the clinic, I was asked the usual questions with one big exception.  Today I was bombarded with questions regarding pasta, whole wheat pasta, and pasta substitutes.   

Here's one of my favorite recipes to try out.  It's also a great way to try tofu without it being to scary or "tofuy".  

Tofu Alfredo Sauce

1 block.......firm tofu (do not drain)

1 tsp.........garlic

½ cup........Parmesan cheese

1 Tbsp.......vegetable oil 

1-½  tsp.......basil 

1 Tbsp.......parsley

¼ tsp........black pepper

1 tsp.........onion powder

¼ cup........plain soy milk (optional)

Plate over steamed veggies, whole wheat pasta, or my favorite, Shiritaki noodles (yam noodles)

Directions

DO NOT DRAIN TOFU!

Puree all ingredients together in a blender until well mixed. Add additional water to mixture to reach desired consistency. Let sit about 2 hours to absorb flavors.

Heat over low heat in a heavy saucepan until warm.

ENJOY!

To make this even healthier, substitute pasta with steamed veggies or my favorite pasta substitution, Shiritaki noodles found in the Japanese markets.   

To prepare these noodles for use, simply drain and rinse with hot water, rinse with cold water, stir into sauce and let sit for minimum of 5 minutes to absorb flavors.  

 

Teacher Appreciation Month

Glimpse Medical is pleased to announce our 2^nd annual

Teacher Appreciation Month

(all CCSD employees are eligible!!!)

Visit one of our two convenient locations during the month of May and receive

15% off all of our services including:

Cosmetics: Botox, Restylane, Juvederm, and skincare products

Weight Loss: medically supervised programs where you can lose 20 lbs or more in 2-3 months, HCG programs designed to help you drop up to a pound a day, a revolutionary DNA diet program that tells you exactly what diet will work the best for you, and fitness programs that utilize a non-pharmacologic approach to weight loss.

Wellness: comprehensive blood testing for hormone imbalance, thyroid disorders, diabetes, clotting disorders, and cholesterol.

Call Today for your appointment in May!