Integrative Health Blog

How the Environment Can Impact Your Health: What’s in Your Water?

Posted by on Tue, Feb 09, 2016

Edited: November 11, 2021

It depends.

If you use tap water, you can find out relatively easily by perusing the website of your local water utility. Local water utility websites (District of Columbia Water and Sewer Authority, and Washington Suburban Sanitation Commission, for example) and EPA.gov contain a wealth of information on regulated contaminants, like lead and coli-form bacteria (like E. Coli), and on currently unregulated (but periodically tested for) contaminants, like chromium 6 (entered into popular culture by the movie Erin Brockovich) and strontium.

If you use well water, testing every few years by a laboratory certified to do so should disclose the contents of the water, the results of which are subject to activity or industry near your property, above or underground. 

What does this have to do with your health?

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Tags: water, detoxification, toxins

Easy Ways to Detox Your Body and Your Home

Posted by on Tue, Aug 11, 2015

We can’t always see and smell them, but our bodies are effected by the thousands of chemicals we are exposed to in our homes.

Maybe you have done a some detoxification in order to eliminate internal toxins and chemicals from your body, but have you done anything for your home? Ultimately, the air you breathe and the environment you are in most, affects your health. It doesn’t make sense to only concentrate on your body and not your environment, they go hand in hand. Common household items and body care products are being found to have negative health effects on our nervous, immune, reproductive, endocrine, cardiovascular and respiratory systems.

Indoor air is typically 2-5 times more polluted than outdoor air. Home insulation is so wonderful when it comes to keeping our homes nice and warm in the winter and cool in the summer, but it doesn’t allow fresh air in and the bad air out. We’re constantly breathing in the same musty air. Wall-to-wall carpet keeps are feet warm, but it can also trap a countless number of toxins, dirt, dust, fleas and lead.

You don’t have to give up a beautiful, cozy home in order to reduce exposure to external toxins. By detoxing our bodies and our environment we allow our body’s own detoxification system to function better.

External Detox Tips:

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Tags: natural options, detoxification

Healthy Living: How Much Water Should You Drink?

Posted by on Mon, Jun 29, 2015

Water cleans, purifies, enlivens, refreshes, and quenches thirst. It splashes, rains, runs and makes everything grow…water is this unique substance that seems to contain the essence of life itself. Water, like food, is a study into itself.

Water is critical for health because of the many benefits:

•Increases immune function (significant increase in white blood cells)

•Boosts energy metabolism

•Enhances weight loss

•Superior hydration of body and blood

•Cardiovascular health benefits and blood pressure regulation

•Cellular detoxification

•Improves skin elasticity

Detoxifies the bowel and relieves constipation

Water is as much a nutrient as food

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Tags: detoxification

5 Quick Ways to Slim and Detoxify Your Body Now

Posted by on Wed, May 13, 2015

With bathing suit season quickly approaching, many people are searching for painless ways to shed a few pounds quickly. Adding any or a combination of the ideas listed below may help to get your body ready for the beach in less than a month.

1. Drink Bojenmi Tea.

Bojenmi tea is used mainly for assisting weight loss and maintaining a healthy weight. This traditional Chinese medicinal tea is known as Baojianmei Jianfei Cha in Chinese and means "slim and beautiful". It is one of the most popular products of China for slimming and promotion of beauty and health.

The formulation is provided as loose tea or tea bags. Several ingredients are used for this herb formulation, but the main ingredient is the tea leaf from Fujian Province. Reports have revealed that 50 percent of this product contains tea leaf which has been shown to help lower blood lipids. An extract of other herbs, however, are sprayed onto the tea leaf to make the finished beverage product, which is then prepared by steeping in boiled water for 3 to 4 minutes. Up to 6 cups of the tea per day can be consumed to help increase metabolism.

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Tags: belly fat, natural options, pH level, weight loss, detoxification, i-lipo

A Holistic Approach to Autism

Posted by on Mon, Apr 27, 2015

April is Autism Awareness Month. It is estimated that 1 in 68 children in the United States has autism, a complex disorder which impairs social and communication skills. Often times, the symptoms of autism are thought to be irreversible, but continuing research is showing that a variety of interventions may improve, and sometimes reverse autism. While there is a wide spectrum of approaches to autism treatment, the following three form the basis of biomedical interventions for children with autism:

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Tags: autism, holistic nutrition, detoxification, children's health

3 Steps to Detoxify Your Body and Lower Your Toxin Load

Posted by on Thu, Dec 04, 2014

What does it take to be healthy in a modern, toxic world?

We are lucky to be living in a fast paced modern world that has brought us so many amazing benefits.

But, at the same time, we see unintended problems like chemicals in household and personal care products, energetic pollution (WIFI, cell phone, anyone?) and malnutrition from eating “convenient” processed food, all of which are contributing to toxicity-related health problems. Many chronic psychiatric and medical problems may be caused by toxins derived from chronic infections, environmental exposures from the air, food and water, psychotropic drugs, medications, genetic vulnerabilities and gastrointestinal imbalances. Efforts to help patients detoxify can take up the lion’s share of your time with a medical provider, but you can make some lifestyle and dietary changes today that will assist natural detoxification and begin to improve your health status. 

Here are 3 ways to detoxify to help your body rid itself of health-stealing toxins.

Step 1: Avoid or minimize exposure to toxins.

Step 2: Enhance the detoxification of toxins already stored in the body.

Step 3: Make detoxification a way of life.

Step #1 Avoid or Minimize Exposure to Toxins

Limiting exposure to toxins can be relatively simple. For example, adopt a routine lifestyle habit that includes consumption of organic food and filtered clean water, and avoidance of air pollution wherever possible. Minimize contact with Wi-Fi, microwaves and high power lines, and wear devices which decrease their biological harm to offer some protection. If you are a health care provider or healer, since toxicity is the cause of so much disability, make it a routine activity in the care you provide to design a program to mitigate this exposure side of the equation.

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Tags: detoxification, toxins

My First Colon Hydrotherapy Session

Posted by on Sat, May 17, 2014

I started working for NIHA a while ago, and I have always been interested in colon hydrotherapy.   I mean, come on, the benefits touted are immediate weight loss, miraculous flat tummies,  improving your skin, better digestion and clearing out your 20-something-foot intestine!

Who wouldn't want all that? 

Colon Hydrotherapy for Detoxification

But NIHA also taught me how incredibly beneficial colonics could be for my health.  Colon hydrotherapy washes away the many toxins that build up over the course of your lifetime and leaves your colon clean and toxic free.  I try to eat a clean diet and limit exposure,  but we still encounter toxins in personal care products, household chemicals, EMF’s, pollution etc. Did you know that every meal you eat should be followed by a trip to the bathroom? And if you are not eliminating as much as you’re consuming, well, where do you think it’s going?

The Procedure

So I booked my appointment and the colon hydrotherapist gave me all the pre-colon hydrotherapy instructions. The colon hydrotherapiests are extremely professional and knowledgeable. No eating for at least 2 hours beforehand to ensure my body is still not digesting anything during the treatment.  Fortunately, she is very experienced and sensitive to the patient’s needs, because really, who normally discusses bodily functions and bowel habits like this with a stranger? I filled out a questionnaire and headed into the colonic room.  The procedure-prep went as follows:

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Tags: detoxification, colon hydrotherapy

How Infrared Sauna Works for Detoxification

Posted by on Wed, Apr 02, 2014

 

The far infrared sauna system for whole body radiant energy delivers the far infrared rays that penetrate deep into the body. The cleansing and purifying benefits of the traditional sweat lodges in American Indian and Scandinavian cultures have long been known, and saunas have been used for centuries for an overall feeling of well being.  

Infrared heat is simply a form of energy that heats the object directly, without having to heat the air in between. So, unlike traditional saunas, the infrared heaters used in the sauna directly heat the occupants without heating the surrounding air. This dry heat can induce 2-3 times the sweat volume of a traditional sauna while operating at lower, more comfortable temperatures, making it more comfortable to breathe.

 

Infrared Sauna Therapy Helps to Release Toxins

The skin is our largest organ and is responsible for eliminating up to 30% of body wastes. Toxins and waste in the body from alcohol, nicotine, chemicals, heavy metals and more may be released through the skin. The deep infrared penetrating heat causes toxins to be released from the cells and exit the body through the sweat glands without burdening the liver and kidneys.  The skin is like the kidney in that it filters the blood and aids in detoxification. In fact, the skin has even been called "the third kidney" for it's ability to eliminate waste. As the pores open the skin sheds dead cells leaving the skin glowing and clean.

Health Benefits of  Infrared Sauna 

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Tags: infrared sauna, detoxification

Holistic Nutrition Recipe: Crispy Brussels Sprout Chips

Posted by on Wed, Mar 19, 2014

Brussels sprouts are part of the cruciferous family of vegetables which includes broccoli, cauliflower, watercress, cabbage, swiss chard, bok choy and many others. When eaten several times a week, cruciferous vegetables may provide increased cancer protection. They contain a class of phytochemicals called isothiocyanates which help the body to detoxify potentially toxic compounds.

Ever think of eating brussels sprouts as a chip?

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Tags: holistic nutrition, detoxification, recipe

Asthma: A Holistic Approach

Posted by on Mon, Mar 17, 2014

Number of Children with Asthma is Increasing

While spring is a welcome relief from the cold and dreary winter for many of us, it can be a time of misery for children suffering with asthma.  The blooming of trees with the accompanying pollen trigger wheezing, coughing, and other unwelcome symptoms for a rising number of children with asthma. Asthma now affects 1 in 11 children. The incidence has been rising over the past few decades, with an increase of 15% just in the past decade.

Other Factors to Consider with Asthma

The conventional medical approach to asthma is to relieve the symptoms as much as possible with the use of bronchodilators and steroids.  Bronchodilators open the airways, while steroids suppress the inflammatory response that the body produces to harmless stimuli, such as pollen from flowers and weeds.  The other approach is to identify the child’s triggers and avoid them.  But so many triggers, such as pollen, mold and dust mites are impossible to completely avoid.  While these are necessary treatments to control asthma symptoms, how about getting to the root causes of symptoms to help the body stop “overreacting” to these stimuli in the first place?  Here are four strategies of a holistic approach to asthma treatment that can reduce or even stop asthma at its root.

Feed your child an anti-inflammatory diet

Asthma is an inflammatory disease, which means that the body’s immune system is fired up, trying to battle the environmental assaults.  An anti-inflammatory diet is one that can help “calm the fire.” This is a diet rich in antioxidants and free of foods that further inflame the system.  Therefore, your child’s diet needs to be rich in natural foods such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains and beans.  These plant foods provide an abundant supply of vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients.  On the other hand, you want to rid your child’s diet of inflammatory foods such as artificial colors, flavors, preservatives and sweeteners found in many so-called “kid-friendly” foods.  White sugar and white flour products are also inflammatory.  And dairy products are a frequent source of inflammation for many children with asthma.

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Tags: asthma, detoxification, holistic approach, allergies, pediatrics