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agnes-knits-blog · 7 years ago

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Some things I wish I had known about Fibromyalgia

1) It is a real condition. People who tell you otherwise are factually wrong. Fibromyalgia (FMS) is a dysfunction of the central nervous system which causes the nerves to register pain signals, amongst other symptoms. Just because other people can’t see it doesn’t make it not real.

2) Everyone experiences it differently. Some people have incredible amounts of pain, some people have fatigue so bad they can’t move, some have both, some go long periods without any symptoms at all. Just because someone else’s experience is different than yours doesn’t mean it isn’t just as valid.

3) Fatigue can sometimes be worse than pain, and can ruin plans that you had been eagerly looking forward to. Fatigue is that feeling you had when you had really bad flu - to say “tired” is a massive understatement, because you feel like your body is made from lead and you just don’t have the energy to do the things that need doing. That’s ok, take time to rest; have a nap, postpone your plans for another day. Friends and family may be upset with you, but true friends will understand. Don’t feel guilty about it - you are important and you need to look after you first and foremost.

4) Look after yourself. This takes several forms, but the key points to remember are: don’t let other people dictate what you do, don’t allow them to set a walking pace you can’t keep up with, don’t allow people to rope you into things you will find physically demanding, don’t let people prevent you from resting when you need to. Other people don’t know what you are going through, inform them that you need to take things more slowly or that you can’t help them move furniture. Don’t feel guilty for saying no. You are important.

5) Make sure you get a good nights sleep. Bad sleep exacerbates the pain and neuralgia (nervous pain/pins and needles etc.) you experience, and also will make it harder for you to function cognitively. It will also put you in a pretty bad mood. Getting a good nights sleep can be hard, particularly if you are in pain, but you should do everything you can to make sure you sleep. Ban screens from your bedroom - no tablets, TVs or computers. Keep your smart phone on the other side of the room to your bed so you can’t be checking your Facebook whilst in bed. If you have to have a computer in your bedroom, set a time at night when you turn it off and leave it off until the morning. If you need to have some background noise to help you drift off, consider a radio or audiobooks. Blue light from screens disrupts our bodies’ rhythms and stops us from feeling sleepy, so do what you can to make your bedroom a dark and soothing nest for you to snooze in. Try to stop yourself settling in to watch something when you are sleepy - chances are you’ll fall asleep, and that is going to mean you will find it harder to get to sleep later in bed. The best thing to do is have an early night, and if your partner is upset about that, try to get them to join you before you are too sleepy! Having “sexytimes” (as we call it in my house!) will make you and your partner happier, and definitely sleepier!

6) Minimise the stress in your life. Think carefully about what causes you the most stress, and think how you can change its impact upon you - if you have a stressful job, consider moving to a less stressful role, even if it pays less. High levels of stress will cause you greater pain and will make your condition harder to manage. Don’t be ashamed to admit if you aren’t coping well just because other people seem to coping fine - you don’t know the whole story about them, and they don’t know what you are going through.

7) Don’t feel ashamed or guilty about cutting out “toxic” people from your life. This can mean friends, partners, even family, who are oblivious to your suffering and take every opportunity to put you down and criticise you. If you are having a bad flare up, and the housework isn’t getting done because it hurts too much or you have no energy, good friends and family members won’t care and may even offer to help out. “Toxic” people will make hurtful comments to your face, or even to the Police or Social Services, in an attempt to upset you. People who would treat you like this do not have your best interests at heart. These people are abusive, and even if they are supposedly-close relatives, you don’t have to put up with it. Case in point: I no longer have a relationship with my abusive mother or grandmother. They have treated me badly throughout most of my life, and now, as an adult, I don’t have to let them do it anymore. That is my choice, and I do it because I believe my health is more important than keeping those two toxic people happy.

8) Try to eat well. I recommend buying pre-cut veggies if you are particularly ill and having trouble standing up and slicing things. It’s a little more expensive than buying veggies normally, but it can save you a lot of energy and you are worth that extra cost. Try to avoid ready meals, as tempting as it may be when you are ill - instead, try to make sure you have the ingredients in to whip up a quick spag bol or a stir fry. Fill your plate with delicious veggies, seasoned with garlic, ginger, soy sauce and five spice, and fry sweetheart cabbage in a knob of butter with salt and pepper! You don’t have to steam them, you need to make them tasty so you will eat them! Eating your veggies isn’t about eating “clean” and posting smug pictures on Instagram, or even losing weight - it’s about giving your body the fuel it needs.

9) Go and see your doctor, and get properly diagnosed.I spent a long time being under-medicated because my GP was resistant to increasing my dosage of painkillers, and this had a huge impact on my general quality of life because I wasn’t sleeping properly (because of the pain). I went to see a different GP, who straight away put me onto different medication, which has really helped me, and increased my dosage of painkillers and the quantity I receive. I cannot overstate how much better I feel now! Some people will grumble about “big pharma” and how FMS is all a scam to get people hooked on opiates, and will argue that taking medication is akin to poisoning yourself, but they are completely wrong. If anyone tries to talk you into not taking your meds because “you aren’t really sick” and “you just need to detox!”, they are not only wrong, but harmfully wrong! If anyone ever tries to tell you that you shouldn’t take your meds, tell them that they aren’t living with the constant pain and fatigue that comes with your condition. I’ve lived without proper pain management, and it doesn’t make the pain better or easier to bare, it just makes you suffer more. If people try to draw a causal relationship between your meds and your condition, tell them they have it backwards - you take your meds because you are ill, you are not ill because of your meds!

10) If you have any psychological problems, take them seriously. Besides FMS, I also have Bipolar Disorder, also known as Manic Depression. This means that I am not in control of my feelings, and I can often say or do things I regret instantly. A few months ago, I ended up walking barefoot along the bypass near my house after leaving the house during an argument with my husband, and that wasn’t the first time I’d done that either. In the past, I carried a lot of guilt about ways I had reacted badly in certain situations. I don’t feel guilty anymore, because I have made my peace with the way I am. I am now medicated to help my mood swings, and I feel more positive about myself. I recommend you seek help if you are depressed, and whilst that can include talking therapies, antidepressants can also be very helpful at dulling your nerve endings, so you shouldn’t be afraid to try them out!

11) Get a full blood test done. When I was first diagnosed, over 10 years ago, all of my blood tests came back normal. It wasn’t until I had a full blood test that my low levels of vitamin B12 were picked up on, and that was when I was taking a supplement with roughly 1,000% RDA of B12 daily! I was diagnosed with Pernicious Anaemia, which means your body cannot absorb B12 properly through the gut, which will cause long term nervous damage if not treated! The treatment is having a B12 injection at least once every 3 months (although I can arrange one whenever I want) - which is painful, but worth it. After an injection, I feel much better, generally brighter and more energetic. I can normally tell when I am due an injection because I start to crave energy drinks, and I will feel better after drinking one, but only for a short while!

12) Your memory doesn’t have to be in your head. I have a very bad memory, and I will frequently forget things. Case in point: I have previously forgotten days I was rota’d in to work, because they were not my normal days. If something is outside my normal routine, chances are I will forget it! Make lists, and try to make writing things down a habit. Try to keep a notebook with you, and if you are worried about forgetting something, try to get someone else to remind you. Sometimes just taking those extra steps will be enough to make sure you remember it. Set alarms, leave yourself notes, and if you miss something important, try not to panic.

#fibromyalgia #fibrowarrior #strategies & tips

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selflife-hacks-blog · 6 years ago

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How to Stop Vomiting in Toddlers and Babies

Children can undergo various health issues and out of them vomiting is the common symptoms. The vomiting in children is caused by gastroenteritis,(an infection of the digestive tract and often called as the "stomach flu,"). This is usually is caused by common viruses that we come into contact with every day. The other symptoms of the gastroenteritis can be nausea, belly pain, and diarrhea. The parent has to look for these other signs if they coincide along with vomiting. Usually Gastroenteritis infections don't last long. in most cases it can be more disruptive than dangerous. But kids (especially infants) who cannot take in enough fluids and also have diarrhea could become dehydrated (lose nutrients and water), leading to further illness. yes, vomiting is quite frightening for both parent and child but Reassuring your child and preventing dehydration are key for a quick recovery. Vomiting can cause the effected kids to lose fluids, salts, and minerals, so it's important to make sure these are replaced immediately as possible.

Vomiting Scale

Mild: 1 - 2 times/day Moderate: 3 - 7 times/day Severe: Vomits everything, nearly everything or 8 or more times per day Severity relates even more to how long the vomiting goes on for. At the start of the illness, it's common to vomit everything. This can last for 3 or 4 hours. Children then often become stable and change to mild vomiting. The main risk of vomiting is dehydration. Dehydration means the body has lost too much fluid. Watery stools with vomiting in baby with fever carry the greatest risk for causing dehydration. The younger the child, the greater the risk for dehydration.

Causes of vomiting in children:

There are a number of possible causes that can lead vomiting in children, which are described below.

Gastroenteritis

is an infection of the gut or digestive tract. It's one of the common cause of vomiting in children and usually lasts a few days.

Food allergy

Few Food allergies can also cause vomiting in children, and they also show various other symptoms, such as the raised, red, itchy skin rash (urticaria) and swelling of the face, around the eyes, lips, tongue or the roof of the mouth. This can be one cause of vomiting in toddlers without fever.

Other infections

apart from gastroenteritis , there are other infections that can cause vomiting such as urinary tract infections (UTIs), middle ear infections, pneumonia or meningitis.

Appendicitis

Appendicitis is a painful swelling of the appendix, a finger-like pouch connected to the large intestine. It causes severe tummy pain that gets worse over time. child would experience tummy pain that's gradually getting worse. In most cases of appendicitis, the appendix will need to be surgically removed as soon as possible.

Poison

This is not some thin uncommon especially to kids. Accidentally swallowing something poisonous can cause your child to vomit.

Causes of vomiting in babies

These include:

Gastroenteritis

This is mostly due to a food allergy or milk intolerance. This can be cause of vomiting in babies after breast feeding.

Gastro-oesophageal reflux

where stomach contents escape back up the mouth through the food pipe. Too big a hole in the bottle teat, which causes your baby to swallow too much milk Click here to know more about acid reflex.

Congenital pyloric stenosis

This condition present at birth where the passage from the stomach to the bowel has narrowed, so food is unable to pass through easily; and this causes projectile vomiting

Strangulated hernia

your baby will vomit frequently and cry as if they are in a lot of pain; this should be treated as a medical emergency

Insusceptible

(where the bowel telescopes in on itself) as well as vomiting, your baby may look pale, floppy and have symptoms of dehydration (source) The first goal is to determine whether children are dehydrated and whether the vomiting is caused by a life-threatening disorder.

Warning signs

The following symptoms and characteristics are cause for concern:

Abdominal pain, swelling, or both

Lethargy and listlessness

Persistent vomiting in infants who have not been growing or developing as expected Bloody stools

In older children, a severe headache, stiff neck that makes lowering the chin to the chest difficult, sensitivity to light, and fever

In infants, incontestability or irritability and bulging of the soft spots (fontanels) between the skull bones

Giving kids the right fluids at the right time (called "oral re-hydration") is the best way to help prevent dehydration or treat mild fluid loss

When Should I Call the Doctor?

If your child refuses fluids or if the vomiting continues and started to intensify after you try the suggested re-hydration tips, then contact doctor if you find any of the signs of dehydration below.

In babies:

Fussy behavior

Dry lips

Fewer than four wet diapers per day in a baby (more than 4–6 hours without a wet diaper in babies under 6 months of age)

Soft spot on an infant's head that looks flatter than usual or somewhat sunken

Appears weak or limp

Not waking up for feedings

Few or no tears when crying

In kids and teens:

No peeing for 6–8 hours

Dry mouth (might look "sticky" inside), cracked lips

Sunken eyes

Fast or weakened pulse

Dry, wrinkled, or doughy skin (especially on the belly and upper arms and legs)

Inactivity or decreased alertness

Excessive sleepiness or disorientation

Deep, rapid breathing

A sign of an illness more severe than gastroenteritis:

If your infant is under 2 months old and vomiting (not just spitting up) projectile or forceful vomiting in an infant, particularly a baby who's younger than 3 months old

Vomiting after your baby has taken an oral electrolyte solution for close to 24 hours pain with peeing, blood in the pee, or back pain headache or stiff neck

Vomiting accompanied by fever (100.4°F/38°C rectally in an infant younger than 6 months old or more than 101–102°F/38.3–38.9°C in an older child)

Vomiting of bright green or yellow-green fluid, blood, or brownish vomit resembling coffee grounds (which can be a sign of blood mixing with stomach acid) your child's belly feels hard, bloated, and painful between vomiting episodes

Vomiting that starts again as soon as you try to resume your child's normal diet

Vomiting that starts after a head injury

Very bad stomach pain

Swelling, redness, or pain in a boy's scrotum (source)

What Is Oral Re-hydration?

When body fluids are lost through vomiting or diarrhea, it's important to replace them as soon as possible. Replenishing fluids can be done by drinking small amounts of liquid often to replace water and nutrients that have been lost. The best liquids for this are oral re-hydration solutions — often called oral electrolyte solutions or oral electrolyte maintenance solutions. They have the right balance of fluids and minerals to replace those lost to vomiting and help kids stay hydrated. The ORHS can be available at supermarkets or drugstores. If you think your child is at risk for dehydration, call your doctor immediately. He or she might have specific oral re-hydration instructions and can advise you on which solution is best for your child.

Re-hydration Tips: Babies (Birth to 12 Months)

Do not give any plain water to an infant unless your doctor tells you to and specifies an amount. Plain water by itself can disrupt the balance of nutrients in your baby's blood. If your baby is younger than 2 months old and vomits all , call your doctor right away.

For Breastfed Babies

If your infant is exclusively breastfeeding and vomits more than once, breastfeed for shorter periods of time (about 5 to 10 minutes at a time) every 2 hours. Increase the amount of time your baby feeds as he or she is able to tolerate it If your baby is still vomiting on this schedule, call your doctor. After about 8 hours without vomiting, you can go back to your normal breastfeeding schedule.

For Formula-fed Babies

Offer small but frequent amounts — about 2 teaspoons (10 milliliters) — of an unflavored oral electrolyte solution every 15–20 minutes with a spoon or an oral syringe. Check with your doctor about which type of solution is best. A baby over 6 months old may not like the taste of a plain oral electrolyte solution. You can buy flavored solutions, or (only for babies over 6 months) you can add ½ teaspoon (about 3 milliliters) of juice to each feeding of unflavored oral electrolyte solution. Sometimes very thirsty babies will try to drink a lot of liquid quickly but can't tolerate it. Do not give more solution than your baby would normally drink in a sitting — this will overfill an already irritated tummy and likely cause more vomiting. After your baby goes for more than about 8 hours without vomiting, restart formula slowly. Start with small, frequent feedings of half an ounce to 1 ounce, or about 20–30 milliliters. Slowly work up to the normal feeding routine. If your infant already eats solids, it's OK to start solid feedings in small amounts again. If your baby doesn't vomit for 24 hours, you can return to your normal feeding routine.

Re-hydration Tips: Kids & Teens (Ages 1+)

Give clear liquids (avoid milk and milk products) in small amounts every 15 minutes. The amount you give at one time can range from 2 teaspoons (10 milliliters) to 2 tablespoons (30 milliliters or 1 ounce), depending on the age of your child and how much your child can take without vomiting.

There are many good choices for clear liquids, including:

Ice chips or sips of water

Flavored oral electrolyte solutions, or add ½ teaspoon (about 3 milliliters) of fruit juice (like orange, apple, pear, or grape juice) to unflavored oral electrolyte solution

Frozen oral electrolyte solution Popsicle

Broth

Gelatin desserts If your child vomits, start over with a smaller amount of fluid (2 teaspoons, or about 10 milliliters) and continue as above.

Make sure to avoid straight juices and sodas, both of which could make things worse. Kids may ask for commercial sports drinks, but be careful with these — they have a lot of sugar and could make things worse. After no vomiting for about 8 hours, introduce solid foods slowly. But do not force any foods. Your child will tell you when he or she is hungry. Your child might want bland foods — saltine crackers, toast, mashed potatoes, mild soups — to start out with. If there's no vomiting for 24 hours, slowly return to your child's regular diet The BRAT diet stands for Bananas, Rice, Applesauce, Toast. This is recommended for children with an upset stomach. This diet will help your stomach to give rest and reduce the amount of stool production. Click here to know more about BRAT diet and its benefits!Apart from the BRAT DIET, few other bland foods include: weak tea apple juice or flat soda broth boiled potatoes crackers cooked cereals, like oatmeal or cream of wheat

Things to remember

Mild vomiting is normal in most babies and improves over time.

Changing feeding and sleeping positions may help

Medicine should not be given unless prescribed by your doctor.

If your child seems unwell or shows any worrying symptoms, see a doctor. Most babies need only simple treatment, or none at all. Give a child who is unsettled after vomiting a drink or a little food. Click here to know more about how much water one has to drink

CONCLUSION:

Educate parents to stay calm. Vomiting can be frightening for children and parents but immediate precautions can prevent consequences. Children will become exhausted due to fluid loss from the body so give rest along with replacing the fluids lost is extremely important. Reassure parents that their child will most likely feel better within 24 hours. Educate parents to wash their hands frequently with soap and water to avoid contracting the infection from their children. It can be challenging for parents to care for their children when they are sick themselves. Prevent dehydration through oral re-hydration therapy (ORT). Sports drinks, sodas, and juices should be avoided in children since they contain inadequate sodium and too large a quantity of carbohydrates. After the child vomits, parents should wait about 30 minutes for the stomach to settle before initiating ORT. Recommend an ORT solution such as Pediatric, which is available over-the-counter. The estimated electrolyte requirements are based on weight Keep children off of solid foods for 24 hours after vomiting. Solid foods should be avoided for about 24 hours. The BRAT diet (bananas, rice, applesauce, and toast) is an effective way to reintroduce food after vomiting. (source) For more related articles: How cell phone affects environmental and child health? Overweight kids have a doubled risk of high blood pressure (VIDEO) Foods that can make your child sleep ! How Can Brushing Teeth Twice Can Delay Memory Loss? BRAT DIET- Does it really work? How to treat acid reflex! How can you tell that you are suffering from acid reflex disease? .

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#how to stop vomiting home remedies #medicine for vomiting child #toddler throwing up no fever only at night #toddler vomiting no fever acting fine #unexplained vomiting in child #vomiting in toddlers and babies #selflifehacks

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heavenfemale07-blog · 6 years ago

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The Dirt on Cleansing

Please note: I provide this material for informational purposes only. I am not a doctor, naturopath, or other medical professional and cannot tell you what to do with your health; please always consult with your own healthcare practitioner before embarking on anything like a cleanse or detox, and before making any changes to your health routine, medication or supplements. It is purely my own perspective on the topic and is by no means intended as any kind of medical or professional advice.

For those of you who read my blog regularly, you know that I regularly undergo cleanses (ie, I “detox”). Since I’ve received quite a few questions about why I cleanse and how it works, I thought it might be useful to share a bit about cleansing in general and my own choices over the past.

Q: Why Detox at All?

Whether you use the term “fast,” “cleanse” or “detox diet,” the process focuses on a single goal: detoxifying and rebalancing the body’s internal operating systems, primarily the digestive tract (but also the liver, respiratory system, urinary system and lymphatic system). Given the environmental factors, lifestyle, and eating habits of most of us in the modern world, I believe that everyone, no matter how thin, active or deemed “healthy,” could benefit from a cleanse once in a while.

In fact, many of my teachers over the years, despite ultra-healthy eating coupled with cardiovascular exercise, strength training exercise, yoga, dance, nia, sports, or daily spiritual practices, nevertheless undergo their own cleanses on a regular basis.

As denizens of the modern, industrial world, we are exposed to myriad toxins daily, both from within and without. Just by virtue of living near the great and wonderful metropolis of Toronto, I have the pleasure of inhaling highly polluted air most days of the week. For the first two months that we lived in this house, I could smell the distinct aroma of fresh paint gases (courtesy of the landlord, who was actually attempting to do us a favor) every time I entered the house. I ingest all kinds of unsavory substances that leach through plastic water bottles, plastic containers, the dyed and/or bleached clothing, or the cleansers I use (though I’ve tried to eliminate as many of these as I can over the years).

And that’s only the exogenous (ie, from outside of our bodies) toxins. We also take in toxins from the food we eat, whether unhealthy oils from junk food, artificial colors or flavors, or “milk” shakes at McDonald’s or Burger King, and so on. Because these substances are not made in nature and our bodies weren’t designed to process them, the liver works overtime to detoxify them out of the body (as much as possible) to keep us healthy.

When your liver is on overdrive neutralizing toxins that you take in, free radicals are formed. Free radicals are basically cell-killers, and they can result in cancer and chronic diseases that are often connected to inflammation (such as arthritis, heart disease, etc.).

Those of us with weak immunity due to candida or other conditions, or those of us with overworked filtering systems (such as myself) suffer the consequences and may very well wander around with stuffed noses, digestive distress, joint inflammation, or other chronic conditions that are so often attributed to “aging” or simply “life in general.”

One of my natural health practitioners put it this way: imagine a pile of bricks that’s being built into a little tower, one brick at a time. Each brick is a different toxin that your body has to deal with and try to eliminate. As with a pile of bricks, you can add quite a few to the pile without any dire consequences at all; in fact, observed from the outside, everything appears hunky-dory, stable and unchanged. One would even infer that the extra weight being piled on top is doing no harm, making no difference whatsoever.

But then you reach the point where the pile can no longer support even one more brick. You place that last brick at the top of the pile and–BAM! (not to quote Emeril in such grave matters, or anything)–the pile completely collapses. Your body works the same way. When you were younger (or healthier), you may have been able to tolerate a huge number of toxic “bricks” in your system. But tax the system long enough and then, suddenly, it appears as if everything breaks down at once.

That’s what happened to me several decades ago. After assuming all was well for years (even though I drank up to a liter (quart) of aspartame-sweetened pop a day, had 3-5 coffees a day, imbibed wine and spirits on weekends and consumed whatever junk food, candy, cookies, cakes, or other garbage I desired on a regular basis), everything came crashing down. I spent about a year suffering from symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome, endured multiple recurrent sinus infections (one so serious that it required four–FOUR!–courses of antibiotics to eradicate), and suffered almost continuous yeast infections, coupled with fatigue, depression, and general feelings of “lousy.” At that point, I really needed a cleanse.

All this to say, if there’ are any actions we can regularly take to diminish our load of toxic “bricks,” we should do so.

Q: What Is a Cleansing or Detox Diet?

Basically, cleansing means “cleaning up the diet (and, ideally, environment) to allow the body to rest from fighting off and eliminating toxins for a while, so that it can repair and rejuvenate.”

There are many levels of detox, depending on where you find yourself to begin with. It’s recommended that people start at a level just one echelon away from (less toxic than) where they are now, because detoxing encourages the toxins to exit the body quickly (through elimination and sweating, primarily), and if too many to escape too fast, you’ll end up feeling sort of like a deflated baloon in a mud puddle–or one really sick puppy (this effect is called a “healing crisis“).

The very first time I went on a detox diet, my naturopath–only two months into her practice–didn’t think to warn me what could happen if I changed my eating habits too drastically. She prescribed what is essentially a NAG diet, but without any animal products. After one day of the diet, I was felled by my body’s extreme healing crisis (I describe the event here). Luckily, it passed in a couple of days.

By starting “slowly”–that is, without altering too many aspects of your diet or life at once–you avoid a severe healing crisis. Most people feel a little bit tired or sleepy; some experience mild flu-like symptoms such as a sore throat, but these ususally disappear in a day or two.

Q: How Do You Know What to Eat and What to Eliminate on a Cleanse?

The diet you choose should depend on the diet you eat regularly before the cleanse. If someone enjoying a SAD (Standard American Diet) decided to embark on a water fast, it would likely spark a full-scale healing crisis and the person would feel rather sick. So decide where you are now, then move in baby steps toward a full-scale cleanse.

There are basically five or six levels of cleansing diet. Ideally, you would work your way up to the most challenging level as you clean up your diet over the years.

Level One: Basic non-toxic diet for everyone. (from Elson Haas, The Detox Diet)

Level one is what I often refer to as the NAG diet, the diet that, if followed regularly, should allow your body to exist with minimum toxic intake and to keep you pretty healthy. (Other versions are Dr. Joseph Pizzorno’s in The Toxin Solution, Anne Marie Colbin’s diet in Food and Healing or Elson Haas’ diet in The Detox Diet). If you’re not already on this type of diet, it would be the first step. Try this for a week and see how you feel. You could theoretically stay on this diet for the rest of your life.

Level One: The NonToxic Diet (from Elson Haas, The Detox Diet):

Eat organic foods whenever possible.

Drink filtered water.

Rotate foods [ie, eat each of these no more than once every four days or so], especially common allergens such as milk products, eggs, wheat, and yeasted foods.

Practice food combining.

Eat a natural, seasonal cuisine.

Include fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts, seeds, and, for omnivarians, some low or non-fat dairy products, fresh fish (not shellfish) and organic poultry.

Cook in iron, stainless steel, glass, or porcelain cookware.

Avoid or minimize red meats, cured meats, organ meats, refined foods, canned foods, sugar, salt, saturated fats, coffee, alcohol, and nicotine.

And while it’s not stated in this list, Haas also prohibits anything processed or made with chemicals or artificial colorings–this should go without saying.

[“Sounds good, Mum, but do we have to do the part about avoiding meat?”]

Level Two: (this and later levels from Caroline Dupont, Enlightened Eating).

Level two is a step beyond level one, as “it eliminates all animal products and glutenous grains.” As Dupont points out, this can be a lifelong diet rather than a detox diet if mostly organic foods are eaten and sources of protein and vitamin B12 (which can only be acquired naturally through animal products) are carefully monitored.

For those who already eat a Level One diet as their regular fare, Level Two would be considered a mild cleanse.

Level Three: Living Foods Only

This level kicks it up a notch (seriously, WHAT is Emeril doing in this discussion?) by allowing only raw foods, effectively eliminating grains (except for sprouted grains). People at this level eat raw fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, freshly pressed juices, sprouts, and possibly raw dairy.

Q: Why Is Raw Supposedly Better? Why Are There No Grains? Isn’t That a Lot of Fruit–Why is All That Sugar in the Fruit Acceptable?

RAW:

A raw diet provides the body with readily available digestive enzymes in raw, but not cooked, foods; these would otherwise need to be generated courtesy of your saliva, stomach, and pancreas. For that reason, it is much easier to digest raw versus cooked food; raw foods give the body a bit of a break so it can concentrate on other functions, such as detoxifying, maintaining, and repairing. People on all-raw diets have experienced incredible boosts in energy as well as healing effects.

GRAINS:

Unsprouted grains (the kind we normally eat) are more difficult to digest than raw foods. There is nothing inherently wrong with eating grains, especially if your digestive system is in tip-top condition; but for those of us with digestive issues, or when cleansing the system, grains are just a bit too challenging.

FRUIT SUGARS:

It’s true that a raw diet provides a large number of fruits, and fruits do contain natural sugars. But please don’t confuse naturally-occurring sugars with refined white sugar (or even honey or maple syrup, which are both concentrated sugars). When you eat something refined, the sugar is converted to glucose (a monosaccharide–the smallest sugar molecule, as it’s broken down by the body and passed into the bloodstream) extremely quickly, because it’s already practically in the form of glucose when you eat it.

With fruits, the sugars are bound up with fiber and other nutrients, and the body must work to extract the different elements in the fruit and to convert the sugars to glucose in the body. This means you won’t get the same kind of spike in blood sugar levels from eating a fresh fruit as you will from eating a piece of cake or even cup of coffee with sugar in it. Sugar in fruits is healthy and doesn’t generate toxins in the body. (Think of diabetics, for instance–they’re allowed most fruits).

That said, if you’re dealing with early stages of candida overgrowth, you want to avoid a lot of fruit and all very sweet fruits in particular. For people with healthy digestive tracts, fruits with extremely high sugar levels could be eaten in smaller quantities. And fruits are the easiest foods for your body to break down, so they don’t tax the system.

[“Give us more fruits is what I say, Mum!��]

Level Four: Blended Foods, Smoothies and Soups

By blending foods, you render them yet more easily digestible. Dupont suggests incorporating some of these foods into a raw foods diet; furthermore, this level is presented as an excellent “introduction to fasting for people with hypoglycemia, bowel disorders [or] constipation.”

Level Five: Juice Fast And/Or Master Cleanse

At this level, you’re basically removing the need for your bowel to process any fiber and are providing very nutrient-rich clear liquids that are processed very easily by the digestive tract. At level five, a person consumes only freshly squeezed or pressed fruit and vegetable juices, or the Master Cleanse, a mixture of filtered water, lemon juice, maple syrup and a pinch of cayenne pepper.

Level Six: Water Fast

At this point, only those who have already gone through the other five phases should attempt a water fast; drinking only pure filtered water gives the body’s internal organs the ultimate work break. According to Dupont, no one should even attempt a water fast who has not first “established a consistently healthy diet for at least 6 months first.”

[“Yes, pure water is definitely good, Mum. Especially in summer.”]

Q:Why Did You Choose the Cleanse You Did?

When I was in nutrition school, after spending a full year following the NAG diet and trying out most of the other diets we learned about, I felt ready to complete a Level Five (Master Cleanse) diet for almost a full week. At that point, my “regular” diet was so non-toxic that the Master Cleanse was a good step. I felt great while on it and did reap the benefits of better digestion and more energy.

These days, however, my regular diet is more like Level Two, above. I already don’t eat meat; I already don’t eat refined foods; I already don’t eat most gluten grains on a daily basis; I don’t eat dairy.

Over the years, I’ve tried all-raw cleanses, the Metagenix 10-Day cleanse and juice-only cleanses. I��ve had good results with all of them; but more recently have come to believe that there is no need for truly restrictive cleanses that eliminate solid foods (more on that in another article!).

Q: Readers: What Do You Think?

If you’ve made it this far, I’d love to know: how many of you have tried detox diets or cleanses? What was your experience? What worked, and what would you warn against?

[Disclaimer: this post may contain affiliate links. If you buy using these links, at no cost to you, I will earn a small commission from the sale.]

Source: https://www.rickiheller.com/2019/05/the-dirt-on-cleansing-2/

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clamjumper5-blog · 6 years ago

Text

The Dirt on Cleansing

Q: Why Detox at All?

All this to say, if there’ are any actions we can regularly take to diminish our load of toxic “bricks,” we should do so.

Q: What Is a Cleansing or Detox Diet?

Basically, cleansing means “cleaning up the diet (and, ideally, environment) to allow the body to rest from fighting off and eliminating toxins for a while, so that it can repair and rejuvenate.”

Q: How Do You Know What to Eat and What to Eliminate on a Cleanse?

There are basically five or six levels of cleansing diet. Ideally, you would work your way up to the most challenging level as you clean up your diet over the years.

Level One: Basic non-toxic diet for everyone. (from Elson Haas, The Detox Diet)

Level One: The NonToxic Diet (from Elson Haas, The Detox Diet):

Eat organic foods whenever possible.

Drink filtered water.

Rotate foods [ie, eat each of these no more than once every four days or so], especially common allergens such as milk products, eggs, wheat, and yeasted foods.

Practice food combining.

Eat a natural, seasonal cuisine.

Include fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts, seeds, and, for omnivarians, some low or non-fat dairy products, fresh fish (not shellfish) and organic poultry.

Cook in iron, stainless steel, glass, or porcelain cookware.

Avoid or minimize red meats, cured meats, organ meats, refined foods, canned foods, sugar, salt, saturated fats, coffee, alcohol, and nicotine.

And while it’s not stated in this list, Haas also prohibits anything processed or made with chemicals or artificial colorings–this should go without saying.

[“Sounds good, Mum, but do we have to do the part about avoiding meat?”]

Level Two: (this and later levels from Caroline Dupont, Enlightened Eating).

For those who already eat a Level One diet as their regular fare, Level Two would be considered a mild cleanse.

Level Three: Living Foods Only

Q: Why Is Raw Supposedly Better? Why Are There No Grains? Isn’t That a Lot of Fruit–Why is All That Sugar in the Fruit Acceptable?

RAW:

GRAINS:

FRUIT SUGARS:

[“Give us more fruits is what I say, Mum!’]

Level Four: Blended Foods, Smoothies and Soups

Level Five: Juice Fast And/Or Master Cleanse

Level Six: Water Fast

[“Yes, pure water is definitely good, Mum. Especially in summer.”]

Q:Why Did You Choose the Cleanse You Did?

Over the years, I’ve tried all-raw cleanses, the Metagenix 10-Day cleanse and juice-only cleanses. I’ve had good results with all of them; but more recently have come to believe that there is no need for truly restrictive cleanses that eliminate solid foods (more on that in another article!).

Q: Readers: What Do You Think?

If you’ve made it this far, I’d love to know: how many of you have tried detox diets or cleanses? What was your experience? What worked, and what would you warn against?

[Disclaimer: this post may contain affiliate links. If you buy using these links, at no cost to you, I will earn a small commission from the sale.]

Source: https://www.rickiheller.com/2019/05/the-dirt-on-cleansing-2/

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mhealthb007 · 5 years ago

Link

As a parent, you can’t help but worry about the safety of your children. So it’s natural that as stories about the novel coronavirus that started in China flood the news, parents worry about whether their children could be at risk.

We are still learning about this new virus; there is much we do not know yet about how it spreads, how serious it can be, or how to treat it. The fact that so much is unknown is a big part of what makes it frightening. But there are things we do know — about this virus and other similar viruses — that can help us keep our children safe and well.

All of the advice below assumes that you and your family have not recently traveled to an area where there are known cases of coronavirus, or had some other possible exposure. If that is the case, you should call your doctor immediately for advice.

As of this writing, there are relatively few cases in the United States, and many measures are being taken to limit the spread of the virus. It’s important to stay informed and listen to the advice of public health officials in your area — and not panic if your child or someone else in your family or community gets a cough and fever. It’s far more likely to be a cold, or influenza (flu), than coronavirus.

In fact, influenza infects millions of people every year and kills thousands. Every year, doctors and public health officials talk about ways you can keep you and your loved ones from catching the flu. Those precautions can also help keep you safe from coronavirus, as it seems that the two illnesses spread in similar ways.

Make sure everyone washes their hands! Using soap and water and washing for 20 seconds (about as long as it takes you to sing the alphabet song) does the trick. If you don’t have a sink handy, hand sanitizer will do — make sure you spread it well, getting it all over the hands including between the fingers. Wash before meals and snacks, after being in public places, and after being around anyone who is or might be sick.

Encourage healthy habits, like eating a healthy diet, exercising, and getting enough sleep. This helps keep your child’s immune system strong.

Make sure your child has received the flu vaccine. The flu is far more common — and can be very dangerous too.

Teach children not to touch their mouths, eyes, or noses with their hands unless they have just washed them. This is easier said than done, I admit. Make a game out of it — have them itch with their knees instead. Carry tissues for wiping mouths and noses, and throw out used tissues promptly.

Teach children to be careful about the surfaces they touch when you are out in public. Little hands seem to instinctively reach for everything around them, so you’ll need to be creative. Bring things for them to hold instead, or hold hands with them. Have them wear gloves (in cool climates in the winter you’d likely do that anyway — have extras so you can wash the worn ones when you get home). It’s not a bad idea to carry some wipes with you to wipe down seats, tables, and other such things in public areas before you use them.

Does avoiding sick people mean staying home?

In addition to the steps above:

Stay away from sick people to the extent that this is possible. Unless there is a specific public health advisory in your area or an area you are traveling to, this does not mean holing up in your house, skipping school or daycare, and declining every birthday party invitation. Ultimately, it’s impossible to stay away from anyone who has any germs that might be spread; as is true of many viruses, it appears that people with coronavirus may be contagious before they have clear symptoms. Just be aware of symptoms of people around you, such as coughing or sneezing. Keep space between you and others in public spaces (again, to the extent possible).

If you are hosting people at your house, you have the right (responsibility, actually) to ask people not to come if they are sick. Keep hand sanitizer by the door of your house and ask guests to use it when they arrive.

If anyone in your family gets a fever and cough, they should stay home. Chances are it’s not coronavirus, but whatever it is, it’s likely contagious. Not only is staying home and resting the best way to get better, but also you don’t want to panic others by having your child cough in their child’s face.

Advice if your child has a fever and cough

If your child gets a fever and cough, this is what you should do:

Call your doctor’s office for advice specific to your child and your community.

If your doctor does not think your child needs to be checked, you can help them feel better by

being sure they stay hydrated. Make sure they are drinking regularly. Popsicles are a good way to get fluids in, and can soothe a sore throat.

using acetaminophen or ibuprofen for fever. Check with your doctor’s office about the right dose for your child.

using a humidifier to help with congestion.

limiting the use of over-the-counter cold medicines in children under the age of 6. They don’t help much (even with kids over 6), and can have side effects. In children over a year, honey can soothe a cough. Use salt water drops for stuffy noses.

making sure they rest. Being glued to a TV or device all day is not a good idea.

Watch for warning signs of problems, and seek medical attention if they occur:

any trouble breathing (rapid or heavy breathing, sucking in around the neck or ribs, looking pale or bluish)

severe cough that won’t stop

high fever that won’t come down with acetaminophen or ibuprofen

unusual sleepiness

irritability or pain that you cannot soothe

refusal to take fluids, or any signs of dehydration (dry mouth, no tears when crying, not urinating at least every six hours).

You should also check in with your doctor if your child has an unusual rash, is having a lot of vomiting or diarrhea — or if there is something else that concerns you. I have learned over the years that parents have a very good “spidey-sense” when something is wrong.

Again: try not to panic. There’s a lot of misinformation floating around. Check reliable sources for updates, follow these tips, and call your doctor if you have any questions.

Follow me on Twitter @drClaire

The post Coronavirus: What parents should know and do appeared first on Harvard Health Blog.

from Harvard Health Blog https://ift.tt/2tv81pp Original Content By : https://ift.tt/1UayBFY

#Health #Fitness #Healthy #Fit #Health and Fitness #Being Healthy #Health maintenance #fitness mainte

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jesseneufeld · 5 years ago

Text

Coronavirus: What parents should know and do

Encourage healthy habits, like eating a healthy diet, exercising, and getting enough sleep. This helps keep your child’s immune system strong.

Make sure your child has received the flu vaccine. The flu is far more common — and can be very dangerous too.

Does avoiding sick people mean staying home?

In addition to the steps above:

Advice if your child has a fever and cough

If your child gets a fever and cough, this is what you should do:

Call your doctor’s office for advice specific to your child and your community.

If your doctor does not think your child needs to be checked, you can help them feel better by

being sure they stay hydrated. Make sure they are drinking regularly. Popsicles are a good way to get fluids in, and can soothe a sore throat.

using acetaminophen or ibuprofen for fever. Check with your doctor’s office about the right dose for your child.

using a humidifier to help with congestion.

making sure they rest. Being glued to a TV or device all day is not a good idea.

Watch for warning signs of problems, and seek medical attention if they occur:

any trouble breathing (rapid or heavy breathing, sucking in around the neck or ribs, looking pale or bluish)

severe cough that won’t stop

high fever that won’t come down with acetaminophen or ibuprofen

unusual sleepiness

irritability or pain that you cannot soothe

refusal to take fluids, or any signs of dehydration (dry mouth, no tears when crying, not urinating at least every six hours).

Again: try not to panic. There’s a lot of misinformation floating around. Check reliable sources for updates, follow these tips, and call your doctor if you have any questions.

Follow me on Twitter @drClaire

The post Coronavirus: What parents should know and do appeared first on Harvard Health Blog.

Coronavirus: What parents should know and do published first on https://drugaddictionsrehab.tumblr.com/

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