Health
Basic Detox tips
Your body is like a swimming pool!
Qi Detox
Ginger
Staying slim in China!
BASIC DETOX & HEALTHY LIFESTYLE TIPS
Drink plenty of water
For when you’re out and about it’s worthwhile investing in a decent (non-plastic) bottle that you like the look of. SIGG of Switzerland make groovy ones, or you can get stainless steel ones.
It is widely known that the chemical Bisphenol A (BPA) leaches from plastic when it is exposed to hard use or high temperatures – so it’s not advisable to leave your plastic bottle in the car on a hot Australian summer day, and then drink the water later after it cools.
Klean Kanteen is one brand of stainless steel bottles I’ve heard of, if anyone buys one let us know what you think of them?
Eat more fruit and veg
Find a nice place to shop that inspires you with their great range of FRESH food (ie the cucumbers don’t wobble when you shake them.)
There are lots of Farmers’ Markets around now, and it can be even more fun to grow your own – even one lone tomato plant and some parsley in a pot will give you a sense of satisfaction.
If you’re in Melbourne, www.organicangels.com.au are fantastic… they deliver unbelievably fresh organic fruit and veg right to your doorstep!
Nibble on raw food
Kids will eat raw veggies too if you cut them up and put them on a plate on the kitchen bench. The trick is to let them ‘find’ them, don’t tell them they have to eat them!
Reduce alcohol and tobacco
If you can’t give up the fags, don’t believe it, you CAN. Keep trying and you’ll get there (remember the hare and the tortoise…). Speak with people who have been victorious and get inspired! Quit Line (www.quit.org.au) have a great 'Quitting Toolbox' to help you on your way.
Replace some red meat with fish
Think of all those thin Japanese people with one of the longest life expectancies in the world.
Choose organic
When possible choose organic . Chemicals made in a laboratory were never meant to be consumed - remember people have to wear protective clothing and face masks when applying them to crops.
HOW THE BODY DETOXES
The good news is that your body naturally knows how to detox itself (see how clever you are!), we just have to stop hindering it from doing its job.
Your body is like a swimming pool
If you imagine that your body is a swimming pool and your liver is the filter. Any time a contaminant, whether it is dirt or leaves etc enters the pool, it ultimately ends up in the filter.
Now imagine if someone were to dump a trailer load of dirt into the swimming pool. The filter knows how to clean it but because it is inundated, it struggles do the job. The pool is going to ‘feel’ really bad for a while until the filter can process all the dirt.
It’s the same with our liver, everyday we put toxins into it. Toxins aren’t just the bad habits and vices like smoking, alcohol and drugs, they are also preservatives and other additives in food, pesticides in our fresh fruit, over or incorrectly processed food and of course the ubiquitous fizzy, sugary drink.
Books like ‘French Women Don’t Get Fat’ have been enormously successful because they emphasise all the really yummy meals that can be made from whole and fresh ingredients, and if you become ‘au fait’ with preparing them – and get to enjoy it – you’ll be home and hosed.
After enjoying a cornucopia of delicious natural foods and feeling really healthy, it’s really EASY to walk past the rows of brightly coloured packs of processed food that scream ‘pick me, pick me!’
QI DETOX TEA
QI Detox contains several ingredients that help flush toxins out of your body. The key ingredients are Milk Thistle and Dandelion Root.
A common questions is… ‘How much Qi Detox should I drink and is there a better time of day to drink it?’
There is no definitive amount that we’d recommend, you can drink as much Qi Detox per day as feels healthy for you (some people say they drink about 6-8, some only drink 1).
The diuretic ingredients effect different people differently, so it’s important to be conscious of how it’s effecting you (ie how much extra you’re having to urinate). It is important to replace lost fluids with plain water.
Qi Detox Tea is safe to drink at any time of day. If it has a strong diuretic effect on you though, I wouldn’t recommend drinking copious amounts just before you go to bed or before going to the cinema (there’s nothing worse than being in the middle of a riveting movie and having to duck out and go to the toilet!).
Dandelion Root
- Contains bitter glycosides, tannins, triterpenes, sterols, volatile oil, choline, asparagin, and inulin. It is known to stimulate the urinary system and primarily affects the liver. 3
- The diuretic effect combined with high levels of potassium is also known to be a highly effective remedy for women with pre-menstrual symptoms. It helps alleviate cramps, bloating and fatigue.
- The root of the dandelion plant is believed to have mild laxative effects and is often used to improve digestion. Research suggests that dandelion root may improve the health and function of natural bacteria in the gastrointestinal tract. Studies have also reported that dandelion root may help improve liver and gallbladder function.
Milk Thistle
There are some website links below to read more if you like…
GINGER
Ginger is most commonly known for its anti-nausea properties and for the alleviation of cold and flu-like symptoms. It is also used for the following;
- digestion
- stomach upset
- diarrhea
- headaches
- painful menstrual periods
Preliminary studies also suggest that ginger may lower cholesterol and help prevent the blood from clotting.
Ginger has been used as a medicine in Asian, Indian, and Arabic herbal traditions since ancient times. In China, for example, ginger has been used to aid digestion and treat stomach upset, diarrhea, and nausea.
Ginger has also been used to help treat arthritis, colic, diarrhea, and heart conditions. In addition to these medicinal uses, ginger continues to be valued around the world as an important cooking spice.
Tip: Keep a little pottery jar of ginger on the bench and when you’re having a Qi Ginger Tea slice off a piece and drop it in for an extra ginger hit.
STAYING SLIM IN CHINA!
Whilst in Xitou I didn't not see one overweight person! In fact, in the rural villages in China you will be hard pressed to find one overweight person. Yet the Chinese love to eat lots of food. So, whilst in China I decided to investigate. Here were some observations...
- Their diet comprised around 80% vegetables, 15% meat, 5% rice.
- There was barely a grocery store in town, so most people's diets are filled with fresh veggies that they have grown and harvest themselves.
- Bicycle and walking are the most common mode of transport
REFERENCES
- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Detoxification_(alternative_medicine)
- http://www.webmd.com/balance/natural-liver-detox-diets-liver-cleansing?page=2
- http://www.alternative-healthzine.com/html/0201_2.html
- http://herbalmedicine.suite101.com/article.cfm/natural-health-benefits-of-dandelion-root
- http://www.naturalherbsguide.com/dandelion.html
- http://altmedicine.about.com/cs/herbsvitaminsad/a/Milk_Thistle.htm
- http://health.blogs.foxnews.com/2009/12/30/milk-thistle-for-post-holiday-detox/
- Cho SY,Park JY, Park EM, et al. Alternation of hepatic antioxidant enzyme activities and lipid profile in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats by supplementation of dandelion water extract. Clin Chim Acta. 2002;317(1-2):109-117.
- Davies MG, Kersey PJ. Contact allergy to yarrow and dandelion. Contact Dermatitis. 1986;14 (ISS 4):256-7.
- Hu C, Kitts DD. Antioxidant, prooxidant, and cytotoxic activities of solvent-fractionated dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) flower extracts in vitro. J Agric Food Chem. 2003;51(1):301-10.
- Hudec J, et al. Antioxidant capacity changes and phenolic profile of Echinacea purpea, nettle (Urtica dioica L.), and dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) after application of polyamine and phenolic biosynthesis regulators. J Agric Food Chem. 2007;55(14):5689-96.
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