National Nutrition Month; Time to Detox – By Kathleen Russell

March is National Nutrition and Kidney Awareness month. These themes are created for support and incentive to eat healthier and take better care of ourselves. So, I’m going to talk about the need to cleanse internal toxicity from our bodies.

The very function of our kidneys is to filter and clean toxins from the bloodstream before entering into the bladder where urine is made and prepares for its departure. Keeping the toxins flowing out of the body is necessary to keep them healthy and prevent toxic overloads.

For people in recovery we have used and abused our kidneys with drugs and alcohol and it is truly amazing what role our kidneys have played in a constant battle to operate under this distress. Most of us take for granted the work they do, and forget the important part we play in keeping their functionality strong and effective.

Nutrition is our best support for all bodily functions. However, when trying to cleanse our systems there are some foods that should be avoided.

• Dairy Products (Heavy foods are difficult to filter, also, mostly loaded with hormonal disruptors from the cows)
• Meat (High Protein levels can put more strain on kidneys. Normal kidneys can not handle more than 32 grams of powdered forms at one time.)
• Artificial Sweeteners (Toxic overload and deterioration to all bodily functions, linked to physical disabilities)
• Caffeine (dehydrated and causes fluid imbalances that can lead to Edema)
• Soda (Highly acidic and toxic to all cells)
• 

Here are a list of foods to add to your diet to help with detoxification.

• Cranberries
• Cherries
• Cauliflower
• Kidney beans
• Olive oil
• Onions and garlic

“The majority of narcotics and alcohol are excreted through the kidneys”  

The blood flow in our body carries oxygen and nutrition through the blood stream and feeds our cells. The majority of narcotics and alcohol are excreted through the kidneys. Therefore it is especially important to keep this environment as clean as possible. Ideally, we want our body to become a cleansing filtration system, instead of it holding on to these toxins.

What goes in must come out. A lot of these toxins hide in various places in the body leading to ill-health. We don’t want the harboring of these invaders to set up camp anywhere they want. So it is our job to keep the strength of all our organs, filled with nutritious cells and keep the flow of toxins moving out of the body.

Anti Inflammatory meds, including over the counter, are hard on the kidneys. If taken more frequently it is wise to take a closer look. There are natural painkillers and anti inflammatory choices to learn about. Changes in the diet and herbal remedies with landmark studies, can have a profound positive result as safe alternatives to pharmaceutical medication.

There are some signals to watch for that to indicate that the kidneys are internally challenged by the use and abuse of drugs and alcohol.

• Bacterial Infections (Antibacterial can be added)
• Blood Clotting (Natural blood thinners~ Holistic doctors make suggestions)
• Infectious Diseases (Antifungals, antibacterials and building the Immune Health)
• Hypertension(Get moving, reach safe levels of body weight, stress reduction practises)  
• Diabetes (Low Glycemic food plan, get moving, protein balanced diet)
• Edema (Stay well hydrated and get moving, keep filtration flowing out toxins)  

It may surprise you to know that helping yourself not only comes from quality nutrition, it also comes from the external environments. The air we breathe, the products we use for personal care and cleaning products also contribute to these overloads.

“And how do we go about improving the health of the environment we live in? Here are a few pointers”

Use of pesticide sprays on our plant life is a big one. We may not think it will make much of a difference or we don’t think enough about it at all. A quick rinse of fruit and raw veggies won’t get rid of theses toxins. Organic is always the safest choice. They also taste so much better and their colors are noticeably brighter, and much higher in nutrients due to richer soil.

And how do we go about improving the health of the environment we live in? Here are a few pointers:

• Adding plants to your environment cleans up the air and increase oxygen levels.
• Do your best to find earth friendly cleaners and laundry detergents for cleaner air to your lungs and less chemicals that become toxic invaders through your skin.
• Add a hepa filter to your ac/vents and mildly moist cheese cloth can also be added from time to time through allergy seasons.
• Limit or change the personal care line that are loaded with chemicals. Believe it or not there are amazing natural alternatives when you start to seek them out.
• Purified water is extremely important and without the proper amounts daily our cells start to breakdown and weaken. Dehydration causes problems with the filtering of toxic overloads.

There is a detox plan available on my website that is more structured for those who care to try it. I am especially passionate about working with people in recovery from drugs and alcohol. Prevention of ill-health, or feeling better in the midst of a diagnosis, is an area that is underestimated when it relates to nutritional needs.

In honoring our National Nutrition Month I am offering various discounts around consulting and whole food supplements. You can send me any queries by emailing me on my site or clicking here to take advantage of a complementary Health Print Assessment Today!

Here’s to the best of your health,

Kathleen Russell, CNC, HC