And how to stop them wreaking havoc on your body.
*** I recently came across an event that I realised I just HAD to be at. It was the screening of a documentary called The Human Experiment, narrated and produced by the awesome Sean Penn, and it was totally worth missing out on The Bachelor to watch. This was actually a life changing doco, not just for me, but for my clients and for you, my readers, too. The basis of the documentary was to explore the effect chemicals are having on our health. And not just chemicals that we already know are dangerous (thank god) like asbestos, BPA, aspartame, etc, but the ones that we have absolutely no idea we are eating, absorbing, breathing, every single day. How these chemicals are being deemed safe until proven otherwise and how we, people, animals, plants and ecosystems are one big ugly experiment. There is no doubt about the increasing sickness in society. Everyday I am seeing clients who think they may have a weight problem or are lacking a bit of energy, and through investigation and analysis I so very often have to break the bad news that they are suffering Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome which may render them infertile; a thyroid condition that leaves their hormones and energy levels in a mess; insulin resistance and diabetes, meaning they can’t lose weight (plus a whole heap of other problems); and worst of all, cancer, which needs no introduction. The point of this documentary was to bring attention to the detrimental impact that untested (and some tested) chemicals are having on our unsuspecting health. Think about it: every morning you wake up and drink water with fluoride in it. Then you brush your teeth with about 30 chemicals in your toothpaste which are directly absorbed into your blood stream via blood vessels under your tongue. You wash your face with another 40 chemicals, apply makeup and perfume (fragrance alone has over 400 chemicals, most untested for safety), put on clothes made of chemicals and washed in chemicals, sit on your chemical laden couch to watch the morning news, and then jump in your chemical car to get to work. That’s only in the first 60 minutes of you waking after you have breathed in fabric softener chemicals and fire retardant all night in your doona. Pretty scary stuff! And the fact that they are now linking these toxins to hormonal imbalances and illness can only mean that our poor little bodies are overloaded with chemicals and we have no idea just how bad the impact is on us. Yet. So what can you do about it? Well, plenty actually. Click here to read more.
0 Comments
 We all know how easy it is to throw on a heavy jumper during Winter and forget about what’s going on underneath: the dry skin, the extra fat rolls, the cellulite. Why wait until the end of Winter to take action on the inevitable and instead take action now and prevent it from happening in the first place?
Join me for my Better Body Project and you’ll not only be lighter by Spring, you’ll have more energy, increased vitality, clearer skin, brighter eyes and radiant health. I’m so excited to share my Better Body Project Winter detox cleanse with all of you, especially after the success we had with Feb Fast - people were losing 3kgs in just the first week, over 7kgs after 4 weeks and over 8cm centimetres off their waists! And the best part was, there was no extreme fad dieting techniques involved: no fasting, or only drinking juices, or extreme deprivation diets that are too hard to follow or stick with. You will be enjoying nourishing whole food recipes (banana & peanut butter pancakes anyone?) along with smoothies, probiotic and antioxidant-rich tonics and juices that are designed to quickly remove toxins, reduce chronic inflammation, rebuild your digestive system and help you lose weight effortlessly! Toxins can build up and get stored in your fat cells and tissues causing you to put on weight and making it difficult to shift, no matter how much you exercise or count calories. And this also causes a major drain on your energy levels. Your liver can become overwhelmed, sluggish, congested and function sub-optimally. Inflammation can increase and become systemic and chronic which negatively affects on both your digestive and immune system. Parasites and yeast can flourish in this environment and rob your body of important nutrients you need to stay strong and healthy. All of these issues will lead to the breakdown of your immune system, ultimately compromising your good health and possibly leading to degenerative diseases. Detoxification and cleansing involves resting, nourishing, cleansing and rebuilding your body and rejuvenating your mind so that you can maintain health and promote longevity and anti-aging. By eliminating health-depleting toxins and chronic inflammation, you will provide your body and mind with the critical support needed to help you heal and protect you from disease. So really what are you waiting for? Join me for Dry July and sign up for The Better Body Project today so you can kick-start your best body ever!  I don't know whether you’ve noticed the chill in the air lately but Winter is well and truly here. What we don't want is to come to the end of the season and discover a ripple effect on our once smooth, dimple free, toned skin. That’s right, we are talking about the dreaded cellulite. The unsightly lumps of skin and fat that often deposit themselves on your upper thighs and butt.
It’s important to note here that cellulite is normal. Everyone gets it. Including stick thin models. But that doesn’t mean we want it. So here's a a few cellulite busters to help keep it at bay. 1. Up your herb/spice intake. Include these cellulite busters in your diet on a regular basis: Cinnamon – perfect for blood sugar level control, meaning less sugar cravings Turmeric – in an anti-inflammatory and blood circulation booster Cayenne pepper – boosts metabolism and increases circulation Raw apple cider vinegar – superfood for increasing digestion, boosting metabolism, cleansing the intestines, alkalising the gut and improving circulation Ginger – another super anti-inflammatory and immune booster, especially good for the cooler months to keep that cold at bay Detox-Cellulite busting drink for winter: Take a cup of boiled water and add: grated ginger, 1 tsp raw honey, 1/4 tsp cinnamon, 1/4 tsp turmeric or grated turmeric, dash of cayenne pepper, 1 tbsp raw apple cider vinegar, squeeze of fresh lemon juice. Drink before every meal to increase your metabolism and help eliminate toxins. 2. Boost your collagen. Collagen is the protein found in vertebrate animals, specifically in the their skin, bones, marrow, cartilage, tendons and ligaments (sorry if you’re eating breakfast). Cellulite comes from a lack of connective tissue, so if someone you know has smooth skin it’s generally due to high connective tissue amounts in their skin! Lucky buggers. Increase yours this winter by drinking homemade chicken soup (from real stock ,which means bones are used in the cooking process) or real bone broth which you can buy from quality butchers. Drink 1/2 a cup daily as soup or plain beverage to not only boost skin collagen and make you look younger, but to also support the immune system and reduce intestinal inflammation as the the broth is also super rich in minerals and amino acids. Add liver cleansing veggies like broccoli, onions, garlic and artichokes for a hearty winter meal... ... To read more tips on beating cellulite, click here  Magnesium is one of my favourite supplements and I find it works well on many levels with my clients. Not only is it something I take on a regular basis for muscle cramps and twitches (I suffer from restless leg syndrome - yes that's a real thing!), but it also helps with muscle relaxation and sleep.
I recently had one of my clients inform me that their magnesium supplement I had prescribed had literally "changed their life" and they were now able to sleep continuously through the night without the insomnia and muscle spasms they had suffered since age 10, allowing them to get through their day with less stress and anxiety. Go magnesium! A good quality, easily absorbed magnesium such as ones that come under the practitioner-only supplement range offer clients so many benefits. Here's a little outline of what this amazing mineral does: What is magnesium? An essential mineral involved in the basic structure of DNA. It is a catalyst to over 400 found enzymatic reactions in the body, with almost all of our body systems relying on magnesium for their metabolic function. Magnesium helps maintain muscles in a relaxed state, preventing cramps, twitches and tension. What foods does it come in? Pumpkin seeds, spinach and other green vegetables, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, black beans, kidney beans, almonds, cashews, peanuts, lentils, oats, wheat germ, bananas, raisins, cocoa and cacao (chocolate, yay!) Who needs it? Everybody! And in abundance. Especially those who exercise frequently; who suffer from muscle cramps and spasms; who are highly stressed; who struggle to sleep or who suffer from restless leg syndrome. Ever crave chocolate during times of PMS? Well perhaps you're suffering from a magnesium deficiency. It really does effect everybody. Signs and symptoms you might need a magnesium supplement: muscle fatigue, muscle cramps and spasms, restless leg syndrome, low energy, low mood, PMS, headaches and poor blood sugar regulation. Severe deficiencies: arrhythmia, irregular heart beat, increased heart rate, increased blood pressure, lack of appetite, bone fractures and osteoporosis. Should I take a supplement? If you’re suffering from muscle cramps and spasms, tension, twitches or restless leg syndrome you can benefit from magnesium supplementation to both prevent and relieve these symptoms. Athletes or those who exercise strenuously can also benefit to help prevent muscular cramps during and after exercise and the elderly are also at greater risk of being magnesium deficient due to decreased uptake and metabolism, therefore supplementation can be useful in these later years. First and foremost we should always aim to get our nutrients, vitamins and minerals from our food and diet, and only supplement during times of need such as when a deficiency begins to impact our lives. For more information or if you think you might be magnesium deficient, contact pip@pipreed.com.au to make a nutrition appointment today. |
AuthorPip Reed, Nutritionist, Archives
December 2015
Categories
All
|
RSS Feed
Proudly powered by Weebly