Experienced over long periods of time, stress can wreak havoc on our mind and body.

Since chronic stress has been linked to many illnesses from the development of diabetes to immune dysfunction to cancer, It is critical to identify the signs of stress in our lives so we can implement strategies to combat its effects.

Here are some of the top physical signs of stress to watch out for, plus 3 health hacks to fight back. 

• Aches and pains– It is very common to feel some bodily discomfort while under long term stress. Some studies have found that chronic pain may be associated with higher levels of stress as well as increased levels of the stress hormone, cortisol. Those under stress also reported links to headaches as well.
• Skin problems– Stress can wreak havoc on our skin. Several studies have found higher levels of stress are associated with increased acne, dermatitis, and even aging as well as worsening of these conditions.
• Gut dysfunction– Stress is known to disrupt our digestive system in many ways, including changing our appetite. Research studies have found that long term stress may be associated with digestive issues like constipation, bloating and diarrhea, especially in those with digestive disorders such as IBS.
• Sleep disruptions– Sleep is so crucial for our health but most of us have experienced difficulty sleeping after a stressful day or week. Sleep can disrupt our sleep, leading to insomnia, fatigue and lower daytime energy. One study found that higher levels of work-related stress were associated with increased sleepiness and restlessness.
• Changes in mood– Research shows that chronic stress may lead to the development of depression. One study of women with major depression determined that the onset of depression was significantly associated with both acute and chronic stress. These findings suggest the importance of assessing chronic stress as part of the treatment of mood disorders.

What can we do to combat these signs of stress? Try implementing these simple tips: 

• Deep breathing – This truly is one of the simplest, yet most powerful methods you can do right where you are today. Deep breathing exercises can help your nervous system switch into the parasympathetic mode, which activates the relaxation response. One of many different techniques, the 4-7-8 breathing technique, also known as “relaxing breath,” works by having the person breathe in for 4 seconds, hold the breath for 7 seconds, and exhale for 8 seconds. This breathing pattern aims to reduce anxiety and encourage higher quality relaxation and easier sleep.

• Movement– Any exercise that helps you get moving is beneficial. Try walking, yoga or even a simple stretching routine before bed to reduce anxiety and stress, improve sleep and increase endorphins. The benefits are strongest when you exercise regularly. In fact, research has documented that people who exercise regularly are less likely to experience anxiety than those who don’t.

• Essential Oils– Using natural scents in aromatherapy via essential oils can help reduce stress in a fun way. Try using relaxing oils such as lavender, bergamot, lemongrass, or orange oils. In one study, aromatherapy using a 3% lavender oil spray on clothing was found to be effective in decreasing stress for up to four days. Oils can be very therapeutic, but use them judiciously, as they are powerful substances.

• Journaling– Although some schools of thought advocate journaling what is bothering you to release any negativity, more promise can be found through deciding to “flip the switch” and write down what you are grateful for instead. Gratitude, especially written, is a powerful practice that has been demonstrated to help reduce both stress and anxiety and goes a long way in having a happier life!

• Laughter– Spending time with loved ones and friends, enjoying life and laughing are some of the best moments in life. Did you know that laughing relieves stress by boosting mood, relaxing your muscles and reducing your fight or flight response. In fact, it is nearly impossible to feel anxious or stressed while laughing. Laughter has also been linked to boosting immunity. Try watching a funny movie or play with children or pets!

• Supplementation– Poor nutrition is a root cause of anxiety in most people. Quality nutritional supplements can provide the support necessary for good physical and mental health. In addition to our Foundation 5, here are some ideas to rid the anxiety and achieve optimal mental health:
  • Hydroxy Force – A hefty serving of B6, 9, and 12 in a formulation that works best for people of all genetic types.
  • Max Mag – This form of magnesium gets into the brain and works magic. Magnesium is involved in hundreds of reactions in the body. So many are deficient.
  • Daily Defense – Sometimes the body is overloaded with toxins and a good cleanse is just what the doctor ordered. Sometimes just a month of this product relieves symptoms of anxiety and stress. Often, people continue with Daily Defense for up to a year or longer.
  • Relax– 1 scoop 2x per day in a tasty cherry flavored powder.

For more great tips, see our article on Natural Treatment Remedies for Anxiety and Stress.

The post 6 Life Hacks to Help Combat Chronic Stress appeared first on TDW.

Berberine is a molecule found in the goldenseal plant and is an effective natural supplement for a variety of conditions. Almost 2000 studies in the medical literature support the use of berberine. Given its antibacterial,  antifungal and antiviral properties, berberine is usually found in the supplement aisle next to other gastrointestinal supplements. But today, after so many published PubMed studies, it deserves a shelf of its own. 

Berberine’s multitude of benefits are nothing short of amazing and since “flu season” is on its way, it is important to understand how it affects immunity. Studies demonstrate that berberine inhibits certains strains of the flu virus by blocking enzymatic function. 

In addition, Berberine also hinders influenza-A replication by interfering with the pathways that upregulate the virus. 

Berberine appears to be as effective as pharmaceutical drugs and Big Pharma knows it. It is so effective that there have been attempts to patent the application of it for flu drugs. Why patent something from nature when we can just use nature? 

The flu doesn’t come alone, it brings along inflammation that can cause further issues if not addressed. Fortunately we have berberine that may suppress inflammatory substance release by improving pathogenic changes. Furthermore, over 70% of your immune system resides in your intestinal tract and berberine keeps those pesky pathogens in check.

We recommend our Berbe when people are exposed to a virus or need short term immune support when others are sick around them. The dosage is one cap, 3x per day with food. Berberine does not appear to interfere with pharmaceuticals but check with your pharmacist if you are concerned. Sometimes, mild stomach upset or loose stools is a consequence of berberine use. (Dr. Wolfson has used for years in his patients safely and effectively).

Berberine may be new to you, but the Chinese have studied this herbal for years. Finally, mainstream medicine might be paying attention too. It’s healing abilities are extensive and berberine is worth keeping in your healthy medicine cabinet. 

Check out The Drs. Wolfson Berberine and also take a look at another article titled The 21 Health Benefits of Berberine.

The post Berberine For Immune Support appeared first on TDW.

Me neither.

That idiom is usually seen as a reference to someone born into privilege or wealth. That may be true. But the real value to silver is in the HEALTH, not the wealth. For thousands of years, societies have recognized the protective effects of silver. They didn’t know about viruses and bacteria as potential pathogens, but knew they needed silver. From ancient kings to early American pioneers, silver was added to liquids to keep it safe.

Before the introduction of antibiotics in the 1940’s, silver was the go-to by healthcare practitioners around the world. It is still used as a topical solution in hospitals.

Silver used to be in the soil and therefore in our vegetables. But no farmers are putting silver into the soil. In short, I believe we suffer from a silver deficiency.

Silver kills bacteria by:

1. Binding to the bacterial cell wall, blocking transport of substances in and out.
2. Destroying energy production.
3. Inhibiting bacterial cell division inside the cell, blocking replication.

Not only is silver effective against bacteria and fungi, studies have identified the antiviral properties of silver nanoparticles in respect to respiratory pathogens such as adenovirus, parainfluenza and influenza. The nanoparticles attack viral glycoproteins preventing them from entering the cell.

Dr. Wolfson only recommends one brand of silver. Argentyn 23 is a professional grade bio-active silver hydrosol that supports a healthy immune system.

We use Argentyn 23 for:

• Prevention of viral and bacterial infections
• Immune support during the common cold and influenza
• Topical cuts, scrapes and burns
• Pink eye (conjunctivitis)
• Urinary tract infection
• Gastroenteritis
• Upper and lower respiratory infections
• Sinus infection
• Otitis media and externa

Directions for use are on every bottle of Argentyn. In short, the more support you need, the more Argentyn you take. Dr. Heather carries the drops and the gel in her purse at all times.

No concerns about argyria.

A must for every healthy medicine cabinet.

For all your health concerns, grab a free health coaching call here.

The post The Silver Bullet for Immunity appeared first on TDW.

 This holiday season, give something special. Give the gift of health and wellness.

 The following represents our favorite suggestions to support health and wellness for those you really care about.

The Ultimate in Organic Clothing

 Do you eat organic food but wear toxic clothing?

In short, the chemicals in clothing, just as in anything else, can raise your disease risk.

Cotton is a heavily sprayed crop (think Roundup) and these chemicals permeate the clothes even after processing. The clothes are also contaminated with bleach, formaldehyde, VOC’s (volatile organic compounds), ammonia and more.

No thank you!

If it says wrinkle free, won’t shrink, flame or stain resistant, water-proof, cling-free and more, run for the hills. It may be more convenient, but it is negatively impacting your health.

Do you remember the toxic uniforms for the American Airlines employees? Many people ended up in the hospital from exposure to the chemicals. They suffered with autoimmune reactions, rashes and some life threatening illnesses.

It is time to go organic with your clothing as much as possible. Finding undergarments, socks, and sweats are easy when you shop at Pact.

PACT Clothing sells the organic cotton products we love because they are organic and stylish.  They have everything from workout wear to casual everyday clothing to undergarments to maternity. All their clothing is made from organic cotton. Not only will you be helping to reduce AFIB as we know toxins contribute to it, but you will also be contributing to better health overall for yourself and those who hug you!

Better for your health and better for the environment.

 Gift of Light

 Nothing is more important to health and wellness than quality sunshine. Those who get the most amount of sun, live the longest.

Sunshine is shown to reduce heart attack, stroke, dementia and cancer risk. Sunshine promotes mental wellness too.

But so many of you live in areas where the sun doesn’t shine for much of the year. This leads to serious health problems. I see people from all over the world and the majority come from cities and towns where winter is long and the power of the sun cannot work its magic.

If this is your situation, let me make a suggestion.

Move. Move to a sunny climate like Arizona, Florida, or Texas. Move to the Caribbean or Hawaii or Costa Rica.

Okay, I understand. You have a job or family that holds you back. Or maybe, you love where you live and don’t want to move. So the next best strategy is to take a lot of vacations. At least one vacation every couple of months while you are in the cold and no sun situation.

So pack up your things in January from Minnesota and head to Aruba or Fiji. When you take this trip make sure you soak up the sun at your destination by increasing exposure little by little each day. Don’t burn.

Still not realistic to head off to the islands every year for a week or two? Now we have to get creative. If you can’t take the vacation to the sun, bring the sun to you with a vitamin D lamp.

Sperti makes the most popular vitamin D lamp on the market and for good reason. The lamp is amazing.

The Sperti sunlamp called the Fiji Sun Tanning Lamp is:

• FDA cleared
• Safe at-home use
• Face and body tanner
• 15 minute sessions
• 100% money back guarantee
• 7 year product warranty
• Two pairs of UV blocking eyewear

Buy your Sperti sunlamp here

The Fiji Sun Tanning Lamp by Sperti provides UVA and UVB exposure. Both of these frequencies are extremely beneficial to your health. The Sperti lamp provides UVA rays to increase nitric oxide, a vasodilator that opens blood vessels AND lowers blood pressure. The Sperti lamp provides UVB rays to make vitamin D in your body.

For years, I have been reading the work of Dr. Michael Holick MD, PhD and he loves the Fiji Sun Lamp from Sperti.

You can learn more about the lamp on their website just by clicking this link.

Instructions for use come with the Sperti. Start slow and gradually build up to 15 minute sessions. Sunshine is your friend and your skin is a solar panel. Give your skin and your body what it needs. Buy a Sperti Sun Lamp

Santa Brings a Sauna 

I don’t know about you, but I love to sweat. I just feel better afterwards. Sweating is a great way to detox pollutants and chemicals out of your body.

You can work up a good sweat in two ways: exercise or with a sauna.

Scandanavian countries are the home to the sauna. Studies find that regular sauna users live much longer than those who don’t sauna.

Now get this recent 2017 study. Regular sauna users (4-7x per week) had a 46% lower risk of high blood pressure! This was compared to people who use a sauna less than once per week. You can read the original article here.

Fortunately, there are easy ways to home sauna. But you have to find the best saunas that provide all the benefits but none of the risks. One risk comes from off-gassing materials that intoxicate you rather than detox you. Another risk is from electromagnetic fields (EMF) generated by the power source in the sauna. EMF is a major source of health issues and high blood pressure.

I have done the research and think that Sauna Space is the best product available.

Sauna Space:

• Is very compact and can be stored easily
• Does not off-gas chemicals
• Does not produce significant EMF
• Is a healthy sauna experience!

Click here to find out more about Sauna Space. They have two models: The Luminati is for the budget conscious and the Faraday is their ultimate sauna. Both are fantastic options and both are a significant investment. Personally though, I think YOU are worth the investment.

For overall health, sauna at least 4x per week for 30 minute sessions. I prefer to sauna in the late afternoon. I drink plenty of filtered water from our Pristine Hydro system and always replace my minerals with our daily multivitamin.

Send Some Food

Humans are hunter-gatherers. Always have been and always will be. Sourcing the highest quality food is of utmost importance. And just in case you don’t hunt or fish, I have two suggestions of food companies that do it right.

Crowd Cow and Vital Choice.

Both of these companies source the healthiest foods in the world. Better for you, better for the animal and better for the planet.

You see, omega-3 from wild salmon, sardines, anchovies and shellfish is one of the BEST strategies to keep your blood pressure in check. Seafood eaters are the healthiest people on the planet and seafood is proven to help lower AFIB risk and stroke risk. And for seafood, the choice is Vital Choice.

Meats such as beef, pork and poultry are fantastic for health as long as they come from grass-fed, ethically raised farm animals. Crowd Cow does just that.

I will warn you ahead of time. Products from Crowd Cow and Vital Choice are more expensive than the big box grocery stories. But as the saying goes, ” you get what you pay for”.

And I think YOU are worth it.

The Wolfson’s buy most of our seafood and meats from these companies. Vital Choice for the seafood and Crowd Cow for the meat. In fact, I bought my Thanksgiving turkey from Crowd Cow. And the wild salmon at Vital Choice is out of this world.

If you are looking for the best seafood including wild salmon, lobster, crab, and more, check out Vital Choice by clicking here.

Crowd Cow has a really cool program. You can shop from dozens of farms that have all kinds of fantastic food. Just click here and start your search for grass-fed beef, lamb, pork and poultry.

Healthy Cookware is Key

When it comes to health and wellness, we need to look at all possible causes of disease. Science tells us that toxins in our environment are a major contributor to sickness. These toxins come from the air, the water and the soil. And they also come from our cookware.

The cookware we use to make our food can be highly toxic. Teflon is known to everyone as a cancer-causing agent and was the subject of an excellent recent film called Dark Waters. But other chemicals in cookware may be just as dangerous as Teflon and include toxic metals and things like PFOA, a known carcinogen.

Stainless steel cookware usually contains tin, nickel and aluminum. These metals get into your food and into your body where they do not belong. Toxic metals interfere with potassium and magnesium leading to AFIB.

Cast iron is loaded with….wait for it….iron. And iron overload is a problem for so many people and can be inflammatory and may raise ferritin levels. High ferritin is linked to high blood pressure according to this study.

The best cookware is quality ceramic and the only company I trust for my family is Xtrema Cookware. We love their products and they are totally affordable. Ceramic products including those from Xtrema are not as durable as cast iron or steel, but fortunately, replacing a broken piece is not too cost prohibitive.

Xtrema has some great deals going on right now so make sure to check out their cookware by clicking here.

Don’t forget to give the gift of health and wellness. Xtrema makes an excellent holiday, birthday or housewarming gift.

Drinking Water Can Help or Hurt Your Health 

How often do you think about the water you drink? We need this critical source of sustenance but don’t often give much thought to the quality of the water.

The fact that we need to consider the quality of our water is a sad state of affairs. After all, millions of years went by and the water was perfect. Whether from a spring or a running stream, our water was pure. All that was in the water was H2O, minerals, and beneficial microbes.

Today, the state of our water supply is quite different. And our health suffers because of it.

What is in our water that is so toxic?

The list of harmful pollutants in our water is long and includes references to toxicology, pharmacology, microbiology, metallurgy and inorganic chemistry. Sounds nasty, right? It is.

Pesticides, phthalates, parabens, plastics and pharmaceuticals are in the water system. And that is only the P toxins. Don’t forget about mercury, lead, arsenic, cadmium, aluminum and other elements including radioactive ones that don’t belong in our bodies. Dangerous microbes such as parasites, bacteria and viruses may be present. And last, but not least, chemicals like volatile organic compounds and perfluorocarbons (Teflon!) are pervasive in our water supply.

Given the above, it is quite clear you cannot drink from the tap or even consider water that is not highly filtered. If you are on a well, you had better test for the above. We recommend using a company called My Tap Score. They have a few options to test your water for over 100 different contaminants. Learn more about My Tap Score here.

Best options for clean water for health and wellness 

Okay, let’s talk about a few options here. My best recommendation is last.

• Reverse osmosis- removes just about everything, except for some gasses. RO water removes all minerals and leaves a dead water. Cheaper, but not the best choice.
• Countertop filters- like Berkey etc. can reduce toxin level, but again, leave the water void of the good stuff
• Bottled water- must be in glass. Even the best waters are contaminated. Recent evidence found high PFAS in Topo Chico. Best in class here is Pellegrino in glass.

My recommendation, Pristine Hydro. We have used this system for over 5 years. Many of our patients have bought it as well. It has a 6 step purification then adds back minerals, oxygen and structure to approximate a mountain stream.

The added magnesium, potassium, and calcium help to support a healthy heart rhythm. The fact that the other toxins are removed also helps AFIB.

And water from the Pristine Hydro system tastes great.

You can read more and purchase a system by clicking here.

Can Air Pollution Cause Sickness? 

Air pollution is linked to just about every disease. Staying inside certainly isn’t the answer! Indoor air pollution is worse than outdoor, believe it or not.

Outdoor air is polluted from vehicles, factories, farming, and fires.

Indoor air toxins are just as sinister, and maybe even more so, given the standard airtight hermetically sealed homes.

Where are these indoor contaminants coming from? Here are the likely offenders:

• VOCs from new paint, new flooring, and new furniture
• Cleaning products
• Mold mycotoxins
• Secondhand smoke
• Natural gas
• Radon
• And 187 more according to the EPA

These chemicals lead to plenty of health problems from AFIB to cancer to neurologic disease.

If you know me, you know that I love the outdoors. Getting my family outside often is a priority and key to health. But when you are inside, make sure your air is as pure as possible. This means you must get an air purifier.

Air purifiers are proven to lower inflammation according to a 2018 study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association. Anything that lowers inflammation naturally is likely to help lower disease risk.

You can fix your indoor air with the Austin Air Purifier. It is consistently rated as the best air purifier available. We have 3 running full time in our home and one in the office. Even Chuck in our shipping department has one in the warehouse (his adult children work with us and he wants the best in health for them).

Don’t waste another minute in the poison and get an Austin Air purifier today.

Can Red Light Therapy Help AFIB?

Do you feel a sense of awe when viewing a sunset or a sunrise? I think we experience that feeling so we reap the health benefits of the red light wavelength. Nature is amazing and we don’t live in it, we are part of it.

The red light wavelength penetrates the skin and makes the magic happen by fueling the mitochondria to make ATP. This energy currency helps our body to function normally.

We recommend getting outside often to harness the sun’s energy. But many people live in climates where outdoor activities are a little more difficult. Clothing inhibits red light as well.

That is why we recommend red light therapy.

There are 3 ways to get red light therapy:

• Low-level laser: Devices of this sort are typically in the doctor’s office, as they are very expensive. We have one in our office and found great success for blood pressure. But to be effective, frequent use is recommended, so the laser is not practical for everyone.
• Red light device- Many companies have stepped up to provide home red light kits. Our trusted brand is Mito Red. You can read more on their website including frequency and duration of exposure. There is zero risk to this product, only benefits. You stand in front of the light and experience the benefits to as much skin as possible. Your eyes too!
  

• Vie Light- We talk a lot about nitric oxide and its importance in preventing AFIB and stroke as it relaxes the blood vessels and allows for smooth blood flow. Photobiomodulation (PBM) leads to an elevation in NO concentration. PBM uses red light to influence health, wellness and normal blood pressure.
  

• The VieLight 633 takes advantage of the thin mucosal layer inside the nose. This allows for easy access to circulating blood.

We have used the Vielight 633 with tremendous success and no risk. See the picture below. Protocols are built into the product. Again, no risk, only benefits. Great way to crank up nitric oxide and lower blood pressure. Buy your VieLight here.

Buy Someone a Test 

If you are concerned about the health of a loved one, get them the help they need.

With one of our state-of-the-art test kits, the information could help save a life.

Leaky Gut, Mold Mycotoxins, Toxic Metals, and Envirotoxin test kits are a great gift this holiday season.

Buy the test kit and we will send it to the recipient of your generosity. We will also find a local lab if needed. All tests include a review with a Wolfson health coach.

For more information, check out TheDrsWolfson.com/tests

Heart Health Book 

My book, The Paleo Cardiologist, The Natural Way to Heart Health is the perfect choice for someone you care about. Over 200 pages and 300 references.

Amazon best-seller. But you don’t need to buy it on Amazon. You can get my book for free at FreeHeartBook.com. Just put in the name and address where you want it to go.

Head to FreeHeartBook.com

The post Holiday Health Gift Guide appeared first on TDW.

Even if you eat a healthy diet and live a healthy lifestyle, today’s food is very depleted of nutrients due to standard processing and agricultural practices. The air, water, and soil are damaged. Unfortunately, it is very hard to actually get all the nutrients you need from food alone. And let’s face it, most of us have not lived healthy and have a lot of catching up to do, including ME!

This is why we always say, “supplements supplement the healthy lifestyle“. 

Symptoms of a general nutrient deficiency:

There are specific symptoms for each nutrient deficiency, however, there is also overlap in symptoms for the majority of nutrients. These include:

• Fatigue
• Weakness, aches, pain
• Increased anxiety and depression
• Irritability or other mood disturbances
• Brain fog
• Skin issues like dry skin or acne
• Brittle hair or nails
• Headaches

If you have any of the symptoms mentioned above, it’s important not to brush them off as a normal part of everyday life. In functional medicine, we are the detectives and we treat symptoms as the clues or evidence in a mystery to decipher what is going on in the body. Micronutrients play a role in every function of the body’s reactions and must always be addressed as a part of health.

How to know if you have a nutrient deficiency?

The best way to know if you have a micronutrient deficiency is with advanced micronutrient testing. The labs we use can reveal both serum and intracellular levels of nutrients, which paints a true picture of nutrient (and health) status. The goal is to use the data from the labs to create a personalized nutrition, supplement and lifestyle plan for each individual to optimize their nutrient and health status. 

Top 7 nutrient deficiencies we see in our clinic:

1. Magnesium

   Magnesium is a major mineral involved in over 300 reactions. It is also the most common nutrient deficiency underlying most every cardiovascular condition including high blood pressure, heart arrhythmias and cardiovascular disease.

   • Deficiency symptoms
     • Muscle cramps or restless leg syndrome
     • Fatigue and muscle weakness
     • Osteoporosis or brittle bones
     • Headaches and migraines
     • High blood pressure
     • Irregular heartbeat
     • Mood disorders
   • Deficiency causes

     Unfortunately, our food and soil are depleted of nutrients like magnesium these days. Also, processing of food leaches nutrients out. It is hard to get enough magnesium through diet alone and often supplementation (especially for cardiac conditions) is needed.

     Low magnesium levels are a very common health problem that affects most individuals. Daily magnesium intake should be (at a minimum) of 300-400 mg per day for most healthy individuals and most are not getting these intakes in. Individuals with cardiac conditions likely need a lot more.

2. Vitamin B12

   Vitamin B12 is an essential vitamin that your body cannot produce and must be obtained in the diet. It plays many important roles in the body. B12 is critical for healthy blood cells and nerves. It is also responsible for lowering homocysteine, a key factor in heart health.

   • Deficiency symptoms
     • Brain fog
     • Fatigue and weakness
     • Pale skin
     • Numbness or tingling
     • Glossitis
     • Shortness of breath and dizziness
     • Anxiety or depression
     • High homocysteine levels
   • Deficiency causes

     Vitamin B12 deficiencies are fairly common, and we see them often in our clinic. They can present as symptoms in various ways, so often testing is needed to diagnose a true deficiency.

     B12 is abundant in animal foods so vegetarians/ vegans are at-risk populations. Furthermore, common causes of a B12 deficiency include low stomach acid, gut issues like leaky gut syndrome and SIBO or MTHFR mutations (of which about half the population has).

3. Vitamin K2

   The importance of Vitamin K2 is still relatively unknown to most clinicians. Vitamin K has two forms. Vitamin K1 is the primary form from green, leafy vegetables and vitamin K2 arises from animal foods and fermented foods. K2 serves a diverse range of functions in the body besides blood clotting. It is especially important for heart health as K2 can help to reverse arterial calcification and lower the risk of cardiovascular disease.

   • Deficiency symptoms
     • Blood clotting problems
     • Bruising or bleeding
     • Arterial calcification
     • Aortic stenosis
     • Atherosclerosis
     • Weak bones or osteoporosis
     • Anxiety and/or depression
     • Cancer
   • Deficiency causes

     In individuals with a healthy gut microbiome, the gut bacteria are able to convert K1 to K2. At-risk individuals, therefore, are those with gastrointestinal disorders like leaky gut syndrome, ulcerative colitis and bile issues. Also, people who take long courses of antibiotics (which destroy host bacteria) are at risk. Lastly those on statins and blood thinners (like warfarin) are at risk for low K2 levels.

4. Vitamin B1

   Vitamin B1, or thiamin, is an essential vitamin for producing cellular energy from the food you eat. B1 is used by almost every cell in the body. It is a very important vitamin for your heart, especially heart rate, as well. B1 has even been linked to improving cardiac function in those with congestive heart failure.

   • Deficiency symptoms
     • Fatigue
     • Poor appetite
     • Irritability, anxiety or mood disturbances
     • Tingling sensation in arms and legs
     • Blurry vision
     • Heart rate issues (usually low heart rate)
     • Shortness of breath
     • Heart failure
   • Deficiency causes

     While extreme vitamin B1 deficiencies are rare, more and more people are showing up with low levels of B1. There are various factors that can put people at a higher risk for low B1. These factors include alcohol dependency, advancing age, individuals with gastrointestinal disorders, immunocompromised individuals, diabetics, and those who use high-dose diuretics. Also, those with a high toxin burden are also at risk for depleted B1 levels in the body.

5. Vitamin A

   Vitamin A is an important fat-soluble vitamin. It is needed for proper vision, a functioning immune system, regulation of cell division, and prevention of cancer. It also is needed in the body for its role as an antioxidant to quench oxidative stress and lower inflammation.  Vitamin A also plays a critical role in the development of the heart, lungs and kidneys in early childhood.

   • Deficiency symptoms
     • Poor wound healing
     • Acne, dry skin and other skin issues
     • Vision problems
     • Night blindness
     • Increased infections and illness
     • Inflammation
     • High oxidative stress
     • Delayed growth and poor development
   • Deficiency causes

     Vitamin A deficiency or low vitamin A levels can be caused by inadequate dietary intake of vitamin A, fat malabsorption issues, gastrointestinal disorders like leaky gut syndrome or liver disorders.

6. Glutathione

   Glutathione is the master antioxidant of all our cells. It is a vital “nutrient” we test for in our patients. It is so important that the liver can synthesize it from three amino acids. It serves many important functions such as reducing free radicals, lowering inflammation, transporting toxins out of the body, boosting immunity, regenerating vitamin’s C/E, making DNA and keeping cells (like heart cells) fully functioning. In fact, research has shown that early deficiency of glutathione in heart cells results in advanced progression of cardiovascular disease and heart failure. A glutathione deficiency is found in nearly every chronically ill patient.

   • Deficiency symptoms
     • Increased oxidative stress/ inflammation
     • Poor detoxification
     • Mitochondrial dysfunction
     • Chronic disease (CVD, cancer, autoimmune disease, etc.)
     • Liver disease
     • Kidney problems
     • Asthma
     • Rapid aging
     • Fatigue
     • Brain fog
   • Deficiency causes

     A glutathione deficiency can result from a multitude of causes such as toxins, air pollution, poor diet, nutrient deficiencies, chronic stress, medications and aging. Whenever the body has excess oxidative stress or inflammation (from such factors mentioned above), glutathione is the first to get depleted. This depletion of glutathione causes cellular dysfunction and disease.

7. Vitamin D

   Vitamin D is another nutrient that we see depleted in almost every initial test we do on patients. Vitamin D is an essential vitamin for our health and wellness. This is why Dr. Wolfson literally prescribes sunshine to every one of our patients. Vitamin D is critical for regulating mineral balance, promoting healthy bones and teeth, regulating insulin levels, supporting cardiovascular function and preventing chronic disease like cardiovascular disease, cancer and autoimmune disorders.

   • Deficiency symptoms
     • High blood pressure
     • Abnormal lipids
     • Cardiovascular disease or cancer
     • Autoimmune disorders
     • Poor immune function
     • Hormonal imbalances
     • Low bone density
     • Muscle weakness or muscle cramps
     • Mood disturbances such as anxiety or depression
     • Fatigue
   • Deficiency causes

     Vitamin D is unique in that it is not naturally present in many foods. Therefore, the best way to get vitamin D is via sun. Groups at risk for a vitamin D deficiency are those that do not get enough sunlight (factors that influence sunlight production of vitamin D include time of day, season and where you live), skin color (darker skin pigment requires more sun exposure), age (elderly are far less efficient at converting sunlight to vitamin D) or liver or kidney issues (where conversion to active D3 takes place). For those that can’t get enough quality sun, supplementation is warranted.

Final recommendations regarding nutrient deficiencies:

Today, many individuals suffer from nutrient deficiencies. Nutrients play crucial roles in health and prevention of disease. If nutrient levels are suboptimal, disease always results.

We recommend knowing your INTRACELLULAR levels of nutrients. This type of testing includes an analysis of essential vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and other metabolites. Conventional nutrient testing is outdated. Typically, it tests for serum levels of nutrients. In functional medicine we are more concerned with if nutrients are actually getting into cells, where they belong and function.

Always test, don’t guess. Know your nutrient numbers. Your health depends upon it.

You can check out our advanced intracellular micronutrient test here. It comes with a free review by a Wolfson health coach who can help to guide you in creating the ideal, customized protocol for your health.

The post Top 7 Nutrient Deficiencies appeared first on TDW.

The first objective is to lower the risk of AFib episodes by treating the root causes of the condition. This is done by lowering inflammation, keeping blood pressure under control, reducing oxidative stress, removing toxins (mold, envirotoxins and heavy metals), increasing antioxidant status, increasing energy and strength in heart cells, restoring nutrient levels in cells, and increasing nitric oxide.

This is where all of the essential minerals and vitamins, fatty acids and antioxidants come into play. The goal of these key AFib foods is to provide the necessary nutrients for the heart to beat in rhythm and function better. Luckily, these foods are all a part of a healthy Paleo diet.

Top 10 foods for AFib:

1. 1. Dark green leafy vegetables

      Dark green leafy vegetables such as kale, arugula or spinach are rich in dietary nitrates. These nitrates get converted to nitric oxide in the body. Nitric oxide is a molecule needed to relax blood vessels, increase blood flow and restore endothelial functioning. It also has powerful anti-arrhythmic effects.

      Main AFib role: NITRIC OXIDE PRODUCTION

      Try a Paleo recipe: Paleo Triple Green Kale Salad

   2. Wild-caught salmon

      Fatty fish, such as salmon, is the single best source of essential omega 3 fatty acids. Omega 3 stabilizes heart cells, prevents heart arrhythmias, reduces cellular inflammation and lowers risk of AFib overall.

      Main AFib role: ANTI-INFLAMMATORY

      Try a Paleo recipe: Sweet and Spicy Glazed Salmon

   3. Avocado

      Avocados are arguably one of the most important foods for heart health, especially for AFib. Avocados are rich in key “heart rhythm” minerals such as potassium and magnesium. One avocado per day provides adequate amounts of these two minerals that are needed to regulate heart rhythm and support proper relaxation and contraction of heart muscle cells.

      Main AFib role: RHYTHM REGULATION

      Try a Paleo recipe: Crunchy Cucumber and Avocado Salad

   4. Grass-fed beef

      Grass-fed red meat is rich in heart-healthy nutrients including carnitine, CoQ10, D-ribose and taurine. All of these nutrients are cellular energy nutrients that increase ATP production in heart muscle cells. When energy is increased in heart cells then cardiac functioning improves. Taurine also helps to regulate mineral balance in cells and stabilize heart cell membranes. Together, all of these nutrients help to reduce AFib risk.

      Main AFib role: CELLULAR ENERGY

      Try a Paleo recipe: Paleo Grass Fed Burgers

   5. Dark berries

      Dark berries, like raspberries, strawberries, and blueberries, are rich in phytonutrients and antioxidants. Dietary antioxidants help to reduce toxin load, lower oxidative stress, decrease cellular inflammation and boost heart muscle cell functioning. They are crucial nutrients to preventing and healing cardiovascular conditions.

      Main AFib role: ANTIOXIDANT SUPPORT

      Try a Paleo recipe: Avocado-Berry Smoothie

   6. Pasture-raised eggs

      Eggs are abundant in healthy fats and choline. Healthy fats stabilize heart cell membranes. Choline helps to keep the blood vessels strong and healthy. Decreased choline levels have been linked to mitochondrial dysfunction and increased AFib risk. Pasture-raised eggs also contain CoQ10, vitamins B6/B12, and D-ribose, all of which help to increase heart muscle cell function.

      Main AFib role: HEART CELL FUNCTION

      Try a Paleo recipe: Breakfast Egg Muffins

   7. Beets

      Beets are the best source of dietary nitrates, which get converted to nitric oxide in the body. Nitric oxide dilates blood vessels, lowers blood pressure, and keeps the heart healthy. Nitric oxide has anti-arrhythmic effects and could play a role in reducing the severity of ventricular arrhythmias. Beets also have ideal levels of magnesium in them, a key mineral for regulation of heart rhythm.

      Main AFib role: NITRIC OXIDE PRODUCTION

      Try a Paleo recipe: Rosemary Beets with Garlicky Kale

   8. Grass-fed organ meat

      Organ meat, such as beef heart, is a carnivore superfood for the heart. Beef heart contains key minerals, L-carnitine, vitamin B6 and CoQ10 to protect, strengthen, and stabilize heart muscle cells. Organ meats support the body’s organs in an organ-specific fashion (i.e. heart helps the heart). Organ meat is actually one of the best sources of CoQ10 (an antioxidant for the heart) that increases energy uptake in heart cells and helps them to become stronger.

      Main AFib role: STRENGTHENING THE HEART

      Try a Paleo recipe: Bacon, Apple and Chicken Liver Skillet

   9. Bone broth

      Bone broth is rich in heart-strengthening nutrients such as collagen along with amino acids like glutamine and glycine. These protein components are very healing and strengthening to the heart muscle cells. They play a role in stabilizing heart cell membranes and increasing cellular function. Bone broth also provides ideal amounts of magnesium and potassium to optimize heart rhythm.

      Main AFib role: STRENGTHENING THE HEART

      Try a Paleo recipe: Beef Bone Broth

   10. Watercress

       Watercress is a leafy, cruciferous vegetable from the same family as broccoli. It is rich in sulfur and quercetin, making it highly detoxifying to heart cells. As a result, it helps to lower oxidative stress, reduce inflammation, and help the heart cells function better. It is also abundant in B vitamins, potassium and antioxidants to improve cardiac functioning

       Main AFib role: DETOXIFICATION

       Try a Paleo recipe: Creamy Watercress Soup

Looking to conquer your AFIB? Join our online course. You can learn more about this opportunity at NaturalHeartDoctor.com/afib

The post Top 10 Foods for Atrial Fibrillation appeared first on TDW.

As with any condition, we need to consider root causes that are contributing to the recurring problem.

One such all-too-common variable is intracellular magnesium status.  Magnesium is a very important mineral responsible for keeping the heart stable.  If your doctor has not tested your intracellular magnesium status, ask them to do it!  You see, approximately 99% of your magnesium levels are found intracellularly– not in the serum (1).  So if you want to assess sufficiency of this mother-mineral, it is imperative to test intracellular levels.  In the intracellular space is where magnesium works its magic, acting as a conjugator for enzymes and creating ATP cellular energy (2).

We have seen hundreds of patients over the years who never had intracellular level testing. Some didn’t even get blood magnesium checked.

An imbalance of minerals and electrolytes in the blood like magnesium, potassium, salt, and calcium can trigger dysregulated electrical impulses of the heart.  In short, these nutrients and their imbalances can directly contribute to arrhythmias and heart palpitations.

The way this can happen is through elongated action potential of the cytoplasmic membrane of the cardiac muscle cells.  Essentially, magnesium deficiency can decrease the activity of the sodium-potassium pump, leading to an increase in intracellular sodium, which thus alters this membrane potential. This change of heart cell membrane potential has been hypothesised as a mechanism for causing heart palpitations and arrhythmias (3).

Magnesium helps maintain normal potassium levels. It is involved in over 300 enzymatic reactions.

With magnesium deficiency/imbalance, it is also known that there is an increase in production of inflammatory cytokines, even after just 3 weeks of deficient intake.  This can cause exaggerated immune system responses, which creates a proatherogenic environment due to changes in lipoprotein metabolism, endothelial dysfunction, thrombosis and hypertension.  To summarize, magnesium deficiency can increase cardiovascular disease (3).

To best “blast” intracellular magnesium levels, we utilize our formula Magne5 which contains five different forms of magnesium to optimally support cardiovascular health and function.

If you are unsure what supplement or what dose is right for you, we offer comprehensive Micronutrient testing to assess intracellular and extracellular concentrations of vitamins, minerals, fatty acids, and antioxidants.  For anyone considering supplementation, this is an essential first step!

Any tests purchased on our website include a health coaching call to review your results so we can get you started on the right protocol for you.

Get healthy. Stay well.

Resources:

1. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5786912/
2. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2464251/
3. https://openheart.bmj.com/content/5/2/e000775

The post Magnesium for Palpitations appeared first on TDW.

But just about everyone (including Dr. Jack) knows that without good brain health, not much else matters.

It can be argued that your brain is the most important organ in your body. Your brain essentially controls everything. It allows you to learn new things, store memories, think thoughts, and feel emotions. The brain is also critical for controlling and coordinating your actions and regulating your autonomic nervous system.

Every day, your brain is constantly at work and keeping your body’s systems running. Yet, if you aren’t eating well, getting enough sleep, aren’t exercising, or have high levels of stress, then your brain begins to age at an accelerated rate.

The importance of brain health

As your biological age advances so does the age of your brain. Every year that you get older, it becomes more imperative that you work on optimizing brain health.

Symptoms such as brain fog, difficulty concentrating, difficulty performing daily tasks, and increased forgetfulness can indicate that your brain is aging more rapidly and needs support. 

A healthy brain has neurons (or brain cells) that are able to effectively communicate with one another and with other organ systems.

An aging brain means decreased brain cell communication and decreases in the size of certain brain regions. When brain cell communication is reduced and there is atrophy, or a shrinking of brain cell regions, then the result is a reduction in learning and memory. It also puts one at a drastic risk for dementia and Alzheimer’s disease (AD).

As we live longer and longer, we must work on optimizing the health of our brains. Additionally, brain health is greatly linked to heart health. As you take care of one, you take care of the other.

How to optimize brain health through nutrition

Ultimately, when it comes to protecting your brain health it comes down to one thing: an anti-inflammatory diet. The goal must be to lower inflammation. Neuroinflammation (inflammation of the brain) is the top cause of AD and dementia.

There are also other factors to take care of when it comes to halting brain inflammation.  The first is blood sugar. Overtime, elevated blood sugar damages the brain vasculature and further increases inflammation. The second thing to focus on is gut health. There is an established gut-brain connection that must be supported. 2019 research showed that leaky gut syndrome is a risk factor for AD and dementia.

Keeping these three factors in mind, the Paleo diet combined with some sort of fasting regimen, is the way to go for brain health.

Way back in 2004, a novel study concluded that the best way to prevent AD was to decrease dietary carbohydrates and increase essential fatty acids. The authors concluded there were two main reasons why carbohydrates contributed to AD. They said that high carb diets damage brain cells and signaling pathways.

Another study concluded that in order to optimize brain health, one’s diet must focus on an abundance of omega 3 fatty acids, anti-inflammatory foods that promote gut health.

Which diet do we recommend?

The Paleo diet.

There are many parallels between the Paleo diet and the Mediterranean diet. Research published in Nutritional Neuroscience concluded that the Mediterranean diet was significantly linked to higher plasma levels of a protective marker called brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). A study in 2019 found that higher levels of BDNF have shown to lower one’s risk of AD or dementia by a striking 33%.

What are the top 7 Paleo foods I should focus on?

The following seven foods are rich in nutrients that aid in decreasing inflammation, protecting neurons, increasing brain cell communication and preventing neurodegenerative disease.

1. Fatty Fish

   Wild-caught fatty fish such as salmon, sardines, mackerel and herring are the best foods for your brain. They are excellent sources of essential omega 3 fatty acids, which have been associated with improved brain function and mood. The body cannot produce these omega 3 fats on its own, therefore they are considered essential. A study published in Neurology found that those who had low levels of omega 3 fatty acids in their red blood cells had accelerated brain aging, smaller brain volumes and increased levels of cognitive decline. Fatty fish, like salmon, also contain other necessary brain nutrients such as zinc, vitamin D, choline and magnesium. Aim to eat fatty fish at least 3-4 times per week for brain (and heart) health.

2. Eggs

   Eggs are brain food. Egg yolks are a great supply of choline. Choline is a key nutrient for brain health and memory formation. Research has shown that choline is neuroprotective and that adequate intake is needed to boost cognition and prevent cognitive decline. Eggs are a complete protein, contain all the micronutrients needed for health and have abundant amounts of choline. Try keeping hard-boiled eggs in the fridge for a great Paleo snack any time of the day.

3. Avocados

   Avocados are rich in healthy monounsaturated fats, which contribute to healthy blood flow. Healthy blood flow leads to a healthy brain. They also contain folate, vitamin E, potassium and magnesium, all of which are nutrients for brain health and reduced neuroinflammation. The brain also needs adequate amounts of dietary fat for proper functioning. Avocados are one of the best fats for the brain and the heart. An avocado a day keeps the doctor away.

4. Organ meats

   We consider organ meats a superfood as they have a very high nutrient density. Avocados tend to contain more nutrients (in the most absorbable forms) than any other food, gram for gram. Organ meats are also the best source of choline, which is an essential nutrient for the brain. They also contain key brain nutrients such as zinc, magnesium, potassium, chromium and omega 3 fatty acids. Additionally, they are rich in B vitamins such as B12 and folate, needed to support methylation and brain function. Try out some Paleo organ meat recipes today or our Kick Start My Heart organ meat supplement.

5. Dark berries

   Organic berries are rich in age-defying antioxidants and anti-inflammatory nutrients. Their high levels of antioxidants are protective against age-related memory loss and neurodegeneration. These antioxidants are protectors of brain cells, but they also have other jobs too. One study showed that berries can actually alter the way that brain cells communicate and as a result, lower inflammation and enhance cellular survival in the brain. Throw organic berries into your daily recipes or try juicing fresh, organic berries.

6. Olive oil

   Eating enough healthy fats daily leads to a healthy brain. This is one of the reasons why the Paleo diet is so neuroprotective—it is rich in an abundance of healthy fats (and low in carbohydrates). Olive oil is also rich in antioxidants that are beneficial for the brain. In fact, a 2019 study found that extra virgin olive oil increases cognitive functioning, reduces the effects of aging on the brain and helps to ward off AD. Use organic extra virgin oil abundantly.

7. Spinach 

   Spinach has some of the highest levels of folate compared to any other leafy green. Folate is a key B vitamin for brain health. Leafy greens also contain antioxidants and have key anti-inflammatory nutrients. Furthermore, leafy greens are a great source of dietary nitrates, which get converted to nitric oxide in the body. A recent 2018 study published in Frontiers of Physiology concluded that the link between cardiovascular disease and severity of neurodegeneration is the result of depleted levels of nitric oxide.

What are other things I can do to boost brain health?

• Sleep well. Research has shown the brain detoxifies itself during sleep.
• Get sunshine daily. Aim for a minimum of 30 minutes per day. More is better.
• Try intermittent fasting. The 16:8 method is easy to incorporate into your daily routine. Fasting lowers blood sugar and regulates insulin, which protects your brain.
• Take an anti-dementia supplement. Take 1 cap twice per day of our Optilipid. Developed to target cholesterol, this product contains anti-inflammatory levels of curcumin, green tea, resveratrol, ginger and berberine.
• Boost your omega 3 intake with a quality fish oil supplement. Take 2 caps of our Omega DHA daily for brain health.
• Manage stress. Stress is toxic to the brain.
• See a chiropractor regularly. Yes, the chiropractic adjustment supports brain health.

Got further questions or concerns about brain health? Schedule a call with Dr. Jack Wolfson here or a free call with a Wolfson health coach here.

The post The 7 Best Brain Foods appeared first on TDW.

Now it appears stretching is great for your heart.

A recent study found that leg stretching exercises were associated with improved vascular function.

Signs of vascular improvement were observed after study participants underwent 12 weeks of training in passive stretching (PS).

Not only was blood pressure reduced, but there was a:

• 30% increase in femoral change in blood flow
• 25% increase in popliteal artery flow-mediated dilatation
• 8% increase in brachial artery flow-mediated dilatation
• 25% decrease in central arterial stiffness
• 17% decrease in peripheral arterial stiffness

The control group that did not stretch had no significant changes in these measures, according to Emiliano Cè, of the University of Milan, Italy, and colleagues reporting in the Journal of Physiology.

Not only did the vascular health improve in the muscles stretched, but other arteries benefited as well. So the heart arteries can benefit from leg stretching!

According to the study’s lead author, ” 12-week PS training is effective in improving vascular function and decreasing stiffness of the directly involved arteries (i.e. femoral and popliteal arteries of the stretched limbs) and the arteries not directly involved (i.e. contralateral femoral and popliteal arteries and brachial artery) in PS training.”

“Such changes suggest PS training-induced local and systemic cardiovascular changes” the authors wrote. “Interestingly, systemic changes, in particular, in the vessels not directly involved in PS training, seemed to have a shorter duration in comparison to local adaptations, which are maintained in the arteries directly involved in PS training even after 6 weeks from its cessation.”

This was not a large study and only included 39 people. 14 were randomized to stretching on both sides, 13 to stretching on the right side only, and 12 to no stretching. These were supervised training sessions, held five times a week, and required participants to perform sets of five stretches.

It is likely the benefits of stretching were seen because of increased nitric oxide production and improvement in autonomic tone.

“PS has been shown to be an effective means to improve vascular function, with practical implications for its use as a novel non-pharmacological treatment for improving vascular health, reducing the overall cardiovascular risk, especially in individuals with limited mobility,” Cè and colleagues maintained.

The author of the study was excited about the results since stretching can be done at home and by yourself. This is perfect for “stay at home.” If you know me, I do not recommend staying at home but getting outside and getting active. You can do these stretching exercises anywhere, but I prefer outdoors whenever possible.

Before you stretch or after, I suggest our Nitric Oxide booster combo to crank up the blood flow.

The post Stretching is Great for Your Heart appeared first on TDW.

It is also crucial to know your environmental toxin, heavy metal and mold mycotoxin levels in order to prevent and heal from chronic disease. The most advanced toxin combo test we recommend can be found here.

Detoxification is all about ridding the body of toxins. The goal is to lower toxic burden. Most of us have an elevated total toxic body burden. You can think of the concept of “toxic body burden” as a bucket. When the bucket we are given fills up and overflows, disease results.

Cardiovascular disease, cancer, autoimmune disease, neurodegeneration can all result from a high toxin level in the body. If your bucket has overfilled, it is time to detox. 

What does detoxification do for the body?

Detoxifying practices can assist the body’s natural cleansing process. These practices assist the elimination and excretion of toxins through key organs.

Engaging in regular detoxifying habits can prevent chronic disease and help your body maintain optimal health and cellular function. 

How do you know if you need to detox?

We rely on advanced toxin testing first and foremost. What is the level of environmental toxins (like pesticides and plastics), heavy metals and mold mycotoxins in your body? How full is your “bucket”? Getting the data from these tests allows for a very individualized detox protocol that will accelerate toxin release and healing.

When it comes to toxins, you have to understand that the dose is not always the poison. It’s a cumulative impact. This means that in today’s chemical-laden world, it is very easy for your allotted bucket to overfill very quickly.

There are over 80,000 chemicals in our air, water and food alone.  Interestingly, of the 80,000+ chemicals permitted in the U.S., only 500 of these are “tested” (a loosely used term here) by the EPA. Therefore, it can be argued that we are currently the subjects in one of the greatest chemistry experiments of all time.

Toxin exposure starts prior to birth. Toxin burden of the mother, heavy metals and glyphosate in vaccines, pesticides and herbicides sprayed on crops, heavy metals in water, mold mycotoxins in the air…the list goes on and on. 

When it comes to assessing toxin risk, one must always consider both external and internal toxin exposures. The exposome is the combined source of all internal and external exposures.

Research has shown there are many factors including individual physiology, an individual’s unique characteristics, endogenous/ exogenous exposures, epigenetics/ genetics, environmental exposures, other exposures, socioeconomic status and lifestyle that can all impact the exposome and health status of an individual.

Analysis of the exposome sheds light on the fact that most all of us have a high toxic body burden and are subject to many other factors that influence this burden. When it comes to optimizing health, this is one of the first things that must be addressed for true healing to take place.

Symptoms of a high toxin burden in the body can include:

• Allergies, asthma or headaches
• Chronic fatigue or brain fog
• Constipation and other gastrointestinal disorders
• Unexplained body aches and pains
• Skin issues
• Abnormal smelling body odor
• Odor sensitivity
• Multiple chemical sensitivity (usually presents as fatigue, itching, decreased cognition or inflammation)
• Insulin resistance
• Obesity
• Chronic disease such as CVD, cancer and autoimmune conditions
• Heart arrhythmias and hypertension
• Systemic inflammation
• Leaky gut syndrome

Top ten ways to help your body detox:

1. Fasting

   Fasting has been shown to have potent detox effects. A study found that fasting could lead to increased upregulation of several key detox enzymes. Furthermore, the study showed that fasting has the ability to alter drug metabolism by increasing all of the phases of liver detoxification leading to a decreased risk of toxic side effects. Depending on your unique toxin level, you can alter your fasting time. Some individuals like intermittent fasting while others require extended water fasts.

2. Cleanse the liver with key detox ingredients

   Cleanse and protect your liver with key detox nutrients such as resveratrol, ginger, turmeric, green tea, berberine and milk thistle seed extract. These nutrients are found in therapeutic doses in our Optilipid. Take 1 cap twice per day for optimal detoxification support. While Optilipid is aptly named for its role in optimizing cholesterol levels, it also an essential detox supplement.

3. Eat more fiber

   Fiber-rich foods such as chia seeds, psyllium husk, and organic fruits and veggies are great detoxifying foods. Increasing fiber intake naturally helps to bind and remove toxins from the body. One of the most important processes in detoxification is the final step: the elimination phase. Fiber is critical for this step and one of its key known roles is detoxification of toxins. For example, 2017 research has shown that consuming fiber-rich foods helps to reduce exposure to polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). Work on varying your fiber intake including consumption of both soluble and insoluble forms of fiber.

4. Take NAC

   N-acetyl cysteine, or NAC, is the sulfur containing amino acid that is a precursor to glutathione. As a rich source of sulfur, it stimulates the formation and activity of glutathione. Glutathione is the body’s master antioxidant. Evidence has shown that NAC has potent antioxidant activity. NAC is able to promote liver detoxification as well as protect the liver from toxin damage. Take 1 capsule twice per day of our Gluta Boost for potent antioxidant support.

5. Drink plenty of quality water

   You should drink a minimum of 64 ounces of water per day. Pure, high-quality water that is free from environmental and chemical toxins is key. Our favorite water is Pristine Hydro. Pristine Hydro takes water through ten advanced stages of filtration to remove even the smallest contaminants. It then re-mineralizes it and re-energizes it to provide the best quality drinking water there is. Water is one of the main sources of hazardous toxins for most people. The focus for health should be on sourcing only pure drinking water. Furthermore, water is essential to detoxing as it can aid in flushing toxins out of the body through urine output.

6. Meditate more

   Chronic stress impedes the body’s natural ability to detox. This is because chronic stress inhibits proper circulation of key nutrients and oxygen through the body. Stress is an internal toxin. Focus on regular, deep breathing techniques. Exercise the mind like you would your body. This helps to boost oxygen flow and circulation, allowing for better transport and excretion of toxins. Furthermore, regular mediation helps keep the body in parasympathetic mode, which is key for supporting optimal levels of detoxification. Detoxification is turned on fully when you’re in a parasympathetic state. The vagus nerve, a vital part of the parasympathetic response, is connected to the key detox organs (liver, kidney, spleen, lungs, small intestine, large intestine and gallbladder).

7. Sweat in an infrared sauna

   Sweating is another great way to push toxins out of the body and remove harmful waste. The act of sweating is a natural detoxification mechanism of our bodies. Infrared saunas, like those from Sunlighten, are the best option for therapeutic detoxification. The more you safely sweat by heating your core, the more toxins you expel. Sunlighten sauna’s provide research-backed benefits. And it’s thought that Sunlighten sauna use is seven times more effective than a traditional sauna due to far infrared technology being able to mobilize toxins deeper in tissues.

8. Purify the air you breathe

   You can kickstart your daily detox by purifying the air you breathe. When you are detoxing your body, it is crucial to purify the air you breathe as this is a common source of toxins for most people. Our favorite air purifier comes from Austin air. This system has advanced HEPA filters which capture small particles such as mold mycotoxins and allergenic materials. Air purifiers work to extract some of the toxins that can be found in circulating indoor air and thus are a necessary component to any detox regimen. The Austin Air models have several stages of filtration and are able to extract 99.97% of particles 0.3 microns and greater, which means they are extremely effective at extracting even the smallest particles such as allergens and mold spores. Our favorite go-to model is called The Healthmate Plus.

9. Take a binder

   Binders are used to bind toxins in the body and help expel them out. Some bind toxins by trapping them while others bind toxins through electrical charge. Binders can be used on a daily basis (everyone is exposed to toxins daily) or in the recovery from chronic diseases. One of our favorite binders is GI Detox. GI Detox contains several toxin binders to allow for the binding of multiple toxins. It’s kind of like a one binder does it all approach with this product. Binders in GI Detox include zeolite, apple pectin, silica, activated charcoal and humic and fulvic acids. This array of binders allows for trapping of heavy metals, mycotoxins and other metabolites. Another benefit of taking binders is that they help to transport toxins out of the body as quickly as possible and prevents them from re-circulating, which helps to mitigate some of the detox reactions that a lot of people experience.

10. Exercise

    Regular movement is key to stimulating detoxification of the body. While all the mechanisms aren’t entirely clear, there are a few evidence-backed reasons why you should commit to exercising for your detox. Exercise helps to stimulate the lymphatic system, which unlike the circulatory system, doesn’t have a pump. Therefore, movement (or massage) is needed to flush lymph through. Exercise boosts circulation, which is key for healthy organ functioning and transport of toxins out of the body. Additionally, the sweat generated during a workout is incredibly detoxing. Again, while the liver and the kidneys are the major players in detoxification, the skin is still a key organ where toxins are released. Research has validated this concept of “sweat cleansing”. A 2012 study published in the Journal of Environmental Public Health found that heavy metals such as cadmium, arsenic and lead were found to be released in significant quantities from the skin and that sweating (through exercise or sauna) should be a detox modality used to prevent disease.

Check out our Detox Starter Kit. It includes one Optilipid, one Daily Defense, one Gluta Boost and one GI Detox.

There are many other daily detoxifying habits you could include in your health regimen. If you have questions about toxin testing or are interested in developing your own bio-individual detox protocol, you can schedule a free, 20-minute health coaching call here.

The post Top 10 Ways to Help Your Body Detox appeared first on TDW.