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| Diet & Nutrition |
 Healing From Within - Taking Action to Optimal Health - Part 4By Jason Ste. Marie, B.Sc Nutr, RMT, AFLCA Have you ever tried to take a breath of fresh air within the city? How about drinking cold water from a tap and feeling refreshed? Ever got a scent of someone’s second hand smoke? How many times have you purchase processed, refined or packaged food? And how many of us use over the counter or doctor prescribed medications? These are only a few instances where you allow toxins into your body, which inturn produces free radicals that enjoy creating an imbalance and disrupting the function of your 50-100 trillion cells. We are all organisms that began as one cell, which divided numerous times to become the beautiful humans we are today. Our whole body is made up of cells, and without creating a healthy environment internally for them to live in, we will inhibit de-aging and longevity. To consistently keep the body running on all cylinders is optimal for the average person struggling to create health and wellness and win the war on fat. In this article of my six part series, we will discuss and learn about internal cleansing and detoxifying, cellulite, toxins, free radicals, antioxidants and probiotics (whole foods) or active bacteria. To begin, lets take a look at the anatomy of a fat cell and how toxins and cellulite are stored and trapped in the cells of the body. Fat cells, or adipose tissue, are developed from mesenchymal cells. Humans, like many other mammals, are not born with stores of fat cells. Obesity is caused by the increase in number and size of fat cells. Adipose tissue acts to insulate the body, cushion and protect internal organs, muscles and nerves, and to be used as energy storage. Adipose is a special type of connective tissue to store lipids or fats. The majority of lipids stored in adipose cells are triglycerides from free fatty acids and glycerol. High insulin levels in the body (caused by sugar entering the blood stream too quickly from eating simple and complex carbohydrates) stimulates the uptake of fatty acids and glucose and the formation of triglycerides in the human body. Fat is made up of smooth cells, and cellulite is hardened fat caused by the toxin build-up in certain areas that cannot function or perform properly. Once a certain number of toxins have surrounded and infected an area of fat cells, the oxygen and blood flow to the cells is diminished. This could, in worse case scenario (stage 4 or advanced cellulite), cause poor circulation and decreased blood flow to the area, causing cold and swelled areas with broken blood vessels on top of the epidermis. Toxins are classified as any type of invaders that enter the human body and disrupt cellular function. Toxins, stress and by-products from normal cell metabolism all increase free radicals. Free radicals are highly unstable forms of oxygen that damage cells by robbing electrons from cell structures in order to stabilize. Cells struggle to stay stable constantly. Free radicals are thought to play a significant role in aging, cancer, immune system changes, disease, cellulite formation and neurological diseases. It’s estimated that 60% to 80% of all cancers, neurological disorders such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s, and mental/behavioural disorders such as depression, anxiety, schizophrenia and attention deficit disorder, are a direct result of chemicals in our air, water and food. Many chemical stressors compete for the same metabolic pathways for excretion. The liver and lymphatic drainage system are responsible for removing many toxins from the body. One of the liver’s methods is to attach acetyl groups to toxic molecules that make them more soluble for kidney excretion. If many molecules compete for the same excretion pathways, it is easy to imagine that overloading occurs regularly in people who are exposed to a wide range of chemicals in their food, water and air. Once overload occurs, even small amounts of extra chemical stressors become toxic and produce symptoms and dysfunction. It is important to combat free radicals and toxins daily by the methods listed below. Take antioxidants daily. Antioxidants bind with and render harmless the cell-damaging free radicals. Antioxidants and phytochemicals are abundant in fruits and vegetables, particularly those containing beta carotene (pro-vitamin A), vitamins A, C, E, selenium, coenzyme Q10, grape seed extraction, green tea, alpha lipoic acid and bioflavonoids. Since our normal dietary intake of these antioxidants may not be enough, given the toxins in today’s environment, one solution is to take nutritional supplements containing antioxidants. Eat a balanced nutrition program high in dietary fibre and low in saturated fats. Introduce Essential Fatty Acids to the body daily, including a blend of omega 3, 6 and 9 fatty acids, to increase cellular health and receptivity to our nutrients. Consume organic, unprocessed or unrefined starches, fruits and vegetables that do not contain the harmful chemicals, nitrites, and additives. Experiment with animal proteins from organic or grain fed animals, and utilize protein and carbohydrate sources from soy products that come from a plant source. Periodically cleanse the internal systems and organs of the body, the liver, heart, kidneys, lungs, lymph nodes, blood, skin, colon, bowel, intestines, cells, etc. Frequent cleansing is recommended to improve internal health. Introducing active bacteria or blue/green algae such as acidophilus and bifidus, probiotics such as spirulina, kelp, laminaria, and chlorella can decrease parasites and micro-organisms and heal the intestines. Fibre sources such as physillium husks for the colon, milk thistle to support the liver, and other supplements can be introduced daily to heal and rebuild the systems. Drink ample amounts of water to flush out harmful toxins. It will help to get rid of toxic build-up of ammonia, urea, uric acid and free radicals. The kidney’s function is to remove fluids from the body through filtration, and proper intake of fluids will increase the volume of fluids and toxins removed daily from the urinary tract. This is a short list of methods to improve endocrine functions and create a healthy and purified environment for our cells to live in. Jason is a natural bodybuilder & has the gift of sharing the science behind the healing & building power of the human body. He conducts Nutrition & Fitness consulting out of Gold’s Gym Northland. Call 403.512.6607 or dbljay@hotmail.com |