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Dirty Dozen Chemicals to Avoid for your Hormones, part 1

There is no end to the tricks that endocrine disruptors can play on our bodies: increasing production of certain hormones, decreasing production of others, imitating hormones, turning one hormone into another, interfering with hormone signalling, telling cells to die prematurely, competing with essential nutrients, binding to essential hormones, accumulating in organs that produce hormones. This imbalance has created sleep disorders, anxiety, weight gain, skin problems, cancers, and much more.

Here are 12 of the worst hormone disruptors, how they do their dirty deeds, and some tips on how to avoid them.

ATRAZINE

What happens when you introduce highly toxic chemicals into nature and turn your back? For one thing, feminization of male frogs. That’s right; researchers have found that exposure to even low levels of atrazine can turn male frogs into females that produce completely viable eggs. Atrazine is an herbicide that is widely used on a majority of corn crops in the United States, and consequently it’s a pervasive drinking water contaminant. Atrazine has been linked to breast tumours, delaying puberty and causing prostate inflammation in animals. Some research has linked it to prostate cancer in humans.

HOW TO AVOID IT?

Buy organic produce and get a drinking water filter certified to remove atrazine. For help finding such a filter, check out EWG’s buying guide: ewg.org/report/ewgs-water-filter-buying-guide

BPA

Some may say that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, but do you really want a chemical used in plastics imitating the sex hormone estrogen in your body?….NO!! Unfortunately, this synthetic hormone can trick the body into thinking it’s the real thing- and the results aren’t pretty. BPA has been linked to everything from breast and other cancers to reproductive problems, obesity, early puberty and heart disease. According to government tests, 93% of Americans have BPA in their bodies.

HOW TO AVOID IT?

Go fresh instead of canned- many food cans have BPA in their linings- or research which companies don’t use BPA or similar chemicals in their products, EDEN Organics is one such company. Say no to receipts, since thermal paper is often coated with BPA. Avoid plastics marked with “PC” (polycarbonate), or recycling label #7. Not all of these plastics contain BPA, but many do and its better safe than sorry when it comes to keeping synthetic hormones out of your body. Plastic water bottles can contain BPA and it is advisable to avoid these. For more tips, check out: ewg.org/bpa

DIOXINS

Dioxins are multi-taskers…but not in a good way! They form during many industrial processes when chlorine and bromine are burned in the presence of carbon and oxygen. Dioxins can disrupt the delicate signalling systems of male and female sex hormones in the body. This is a bad thing! HERE’S WHY: Recent research has shown that exposure to low levels of dioxin in the womb and early in life can permanently affect sperm quality and lower sperm count in men during their prime reproductive years. But that’s not all! Dioxins are very long-lived, build up both in the body and in the food chain, are powerful carcinogens and can affect the immune and reproductive systems.

HOW TO AVOID IT?

That’s pretty difficult, since the ongoing industrial release of dioxins has meant that the American food supply is widely contaminated. Products including meat, fish, milk, eggs and butter are most likely to be contaminated. You can cut down on your exposure by eating fewer animal products.

PERCHLORATE

Who needs foods tainted with rocket fuel?! That’s right, perchlorate, a component in rocket fuel, contaminates much of our produce and milk, according to EWG and government test data. When perchlorate gets in your body it competes with the nutrient iodine, which the thyroid gland needs to make thyroid hormones. Basically, this means that if you ingest too much of it you can end up altering your thyroid hormone balance. This is important because these hormones regulate metabolism in adults and are critical for proper brain and organ development in infants and young children.

HOW TO AVOID IT?

You can reduce perchlorate in your drinking water by using a reverse osmosis filter. (You can get help finding one here: www.ewg.org/report-ewgs-water-filter-buying-guide). As for food, it’s pretty much impossible to avoid perchlorate, but you can reduce its potential effects on you by making sure you’re getting enough iodine in your diet. Using iodized salt is one good way.

PHTHALATES

Did you know that a specific signal programs cells in your body to die? It’s normal and healthy for 50 billion cells in your body to die every day! But studies have shown that chemicals called phthalates can trigger what’s known as “death-introducing signalling” in testicular cells, making them die sooner than they should have. Yep, that’s cell death -in your man parts. If that’s not enough, studies have linked phthalates to hormone changes, lower sperm count, less mobile sperm, birth defects in the male reproductive system, obesity, diabetes and thyroid irregularities.

HOW TO AVOID IT?

A good place to start is to avoid plastic food containers, children’s toys (some phthalates are already banned in kid’s products), and plastic wrap made from PVC, which has the recycling label#3. Some personal care products also contain phthalates, so read the labels and avoid products that simply list added ”fragrance”, since this catch-all term sometimes means hidden phthalates. Find phthalate-free personal care products with EWG’s skin Deep Database: ewg.org/skindeep

FIRE RETARDANTS

What do breast milk and polar bears have in common? In 1999, Swedish scientists studying women’s breast milk discovered something totally unexpected: The milk contained an endocrine-disrupting chemical found in fire retardants, and the levels have been doubling every five years since 1972! These incredibly persistent chemicals, known as polybrominated diphenyl ethers or PBDE’s, have since been found to contaminate the bodies of people and wildlife around the globe- even polar bears. These chemicals can imitate thyroid hormones and disrupt their activity. This can lead to lower IQ, among other significant health effects. Several kinds of PBDE’s have now been phased out, but this doesn’t mean that toxic fire retardants have gone away. PBDE’s are incredibly persistent, so they’re going to be contaminating people and wildlife for decades to come.

HOW TO AVOID IT?

It’s virtually impossible, but passing better toxic chemical laws that require chemicals to be tested before they go on the market would help reduce our exposure. A few things that we can try in the meantime include using a vacuum with a HEPA filter, which can cut down the toxic-laden house dust, avoid re-upholstering foam furniture and taking care when replacing old carpet (the padding underneath may contain PBDE’S). Find more tips here ewg.org/pbdefree

This is part 1 of the endocrine dirty dozen list. Look out for part 2!

If you want to know more about how to know your levels or how to detox your exposures, download the Healthy Home & Body Detoxification Guide from Natural Terrain. Click here to download.

Photos by Alex Kondratiev on Unsplash, by Kai Dahms on Unsplash

Sleep Hygiene: What you can do to help you sleep

What your body does during the day is just as important as what your body does during the night. Sleep is highly important for health and wellbeing. Ensuring you are getting the sleep you need is one of the best methods of self-care. Last week we provided 5 tips to help you have a better sleep, this week we have 5 more to get you sleeping optimally.

1. Sleep in a dark, cool and quiet room.

Setting up your bedroom in a way that helps the body carry out the natural sleep cycle can be very helpful for your sleep. Keeping the room dark is important because when the body senses darkness, it produces melatonin which helps you fall asleep. The temperature in your room is also important for your sleep. Naturally, our body temperature drops before bed, so making the room cold will help mimic this natural effect and help you to fall asleep. Sleeping in a quiet room increases the amount of deep sleep and improves the quality of sleep.

2. Establish a relaxing routine before bed.

By doing relaxing activities, such as having a bath, reading, journaling, knitting or mediation, you decrease the amount of cortisol in your body. Cortisol is your stress hormone which works opposite to melatonin levels: when melatonin is high, cortisol is low and sleep is initiated. When melatonin is low, cortisol is high and you wake up.

3. Don’t lie in bed for more than 30 minutes.

If you are having trouble falling asleep or if you wake up in the middle of the night and can’t return to sleep, do not spend more than 30 minutes in bed awake. Instead, get out of bed and do some relaxing activities, or perhaps carry out your relaxing bedtime routine. Ensure you are keeping the lights low when you get up.

4. Go outside first thing in the morning.

The sleep-wake cycle established by the body is what wakes us up in the morning and helps us to fall asleep at night. It is called the circadian rhythm. One of the main drivers behind the circadian rhythm is the production of melatonin. Melatonin production is started when the body senses darkness and helps the body to fall asleep. Conversely, melatonin production is inhibited when there is light. By going outside first thing in the morning, you are telling the body it is time to be awake and will help to cycle you back to sleep when it is dark out.

5. Do not eat a large meal before bed time but if hungry have a small, light, healthy snack.

Large meals may lead to reflux, heart burn and other digestive pains which may result in poor sleep. However, it is also important to eat if you need help regulating blood sugars. Sometimes having low blood sugar after not eating can wake a person up at night. If you have this problem, eat a light snack with tryptophan. High protein snacks like turkey, fish, poultry, eggs, soy protein are the best as they can provide tryptophan needed to produce melatonin and serotonin.

You can read more of our sleeping tips here.

Photo by bruce mars on Unsplash

5 Tips for a Good Night’s Sleep

Sleep is an essential part of health and wellbeing. In order to improve sleep quality, there are a number of different supplements that can be used. However, before supplements are prescribed, we must look at the foundation and the lifestyle elements that affect sleep. Healthy sleep habits are often referred to as sleep hygiene because similar to personal hygiene, sleep hygiene helps to maintain health and prevent illnesses. In this post, we will share with you our top 5 sleep hygiene tips.

1. Avoid Caffeine

This first tip may seem very obvious to you, but it is so important! Avoid caffeine-containing beverages or foods after 2 pm and if you are sensitive to caffeine avoid it after 12 noon. Some common caffeine-containing products include coffee, sodas, some vitamin waters, chocolate, ice cream and even decaf coffee and tea has a bit of caffeine. A recent study showed that in some people, caffeine is not metabolized efficiently and they can feel the effect long after consuming it. As such, an afternoon cup of coffee or tea will keep some people from falling asleep. Also, some medications, particularly diet pills contain caffeine. In addition to caffeine being a stimulant that can keep you up at night, it is also a bladder irritant that can wake you up in the night to use the washroom.

2. Keep a regular routine to train your biological clock.

Go to sleep and wake up at the same time each day, even on the weekends! Keeping a regular schedule helps the body know when it is supposed to sleep.

3. Do not use electronics 1-2 hours before bed.

Electronics, such as cell phones, tablets and televisions give off a blue light that affects melatonin production and the natural sleep-wake cycle. Avoiding the use of electronics 1-2 hours before bed, as well as dimming the lights help to encourage the body to prepare for sleep.

4. Use your bed only for sleep and sex

By limiting the activities that you do in bed, you are helping the mind make the association that when you are in bed, it is time to relax and go to sleep. If you are used to watching TV or doing work in bed, you may find it harder to relax and to think of the bedroom as a place to sleep.

5. Don’t panic about a poor night’s sleep.

This makes your sleeping worse. Trust in the wisdom of your body that you are getting enough sleep. Instead, use positive self-talk phrases before going to bed. Repeat a positive affirmation regarding sleep 10 times in a row and do this 3x/day. Here is an example of an affirmation you can repeat: “I trust in the wisdom of my body to get the sleep I need.”

Getting a good night’s sleep starts by regulating the body’s natural sleep-wake cycle. Simple lifestyle tips, such as the ones above help to improve sleep. There are many other sleep hygiene tips that can be done to help the body to get a good night’s sleep, which we will share over the next couple weeks. Making sleep a priority is an important choice in achieving overall wellness.

The Importance of Sleep

Sleep is an important part of your physical, mental and emotional health. How you feel during the day, is largely a result of how you sleep at night.

Sleep plays a role in controlling your hunger hormones: ghrelin which causes appetite and leptin which suppresses appetite. It affects your memory, concentration and focus. People with better sleep have a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes and depression.

The body has a natural sleep cycle called the circadian rhythm. It is largely controlled by natural sunlight. The darkness stimulates the brain to release melatonin which initiates sleep. Sometimes the circadian rhythm can be disrupted which causes sleep issues.

Sleep is one of the pillars of health and it is very important to make sure that you are sleeping optimally. Sleep issues can occur with falling asleep, staying asleep, waking up at night, light sleeping, not feeling refreshed in the morning or snoring loudly. If you have any of these issues, book an appointment so we can help you on your path to health and wellbeing.

What is the Mediterranean Diet? And Is It Good for You?

Nutrition is one of the foundational building blocks of health. What we eat plays an incredibly important role in our digestion, mental health, hormone production and energy levels. At Natural Terrain, assessing a patient’s diet and nutritional intake is a common occurrence. Diet is an important way to make sure you are getting all the vitamins, minerals, proteins and nutrients you need to be healthy. The diets that are prescribed are often well-researched diets that are tailored to the needs of the patient. One diet that has a lot of good research behind it is the Mediterranean diet.

What is the Mediterranean Diet?

The Mediterranean Diet is a diet based on the daily servings of food groups. Often the Mediterranean diet is described in a pyramid, with different food groups put into different levels. The bottom of the pyramid is what should be eaten at every meal and the top of the pyramid are foods that should be eaten the least.

Base Level

On the base of the pyramid is vegetables, fruits, whole grains, herbs, legumes and healthy fats. Olive oil is encouraged as the main healthy fat, but nuts and seeds are also placed in this category. Legumes, such as beans, peas and lentils should replace meat products in at least 3 of your meals each week. Every meal should focus on this main category.

Level 2

The next level of the pyramid is fish and seafood. Fish is the main source of animal protein in the Mediterranean diet. It is high in Omega-3’s which are anti-inflammatory and great for your health. When selecting which types of fish to eat, it is best to choose fish with lower levels of mercury. You can look here for low mercury fish. In Edmonton, we recommend buying your fish from Ocean Odyssey Inland for some of the freshest, high-quality fish.

Level 3

The third level is Poultry, Eggs and Dairy which should be consumed in small amounts. Eat these types of foods once every couple days.

Top of the Pyramid

The last category, which should make up the lowest proportion of your diet is red meats and sweets. Choose lean cuts of meats when possible and consume these only a couple of times each month. Leave sugary foods for special occasions only.

Water is encouraged to be drank throughout the day. Moderate intake of red wine is allowed, with the maximum drinks per day being 1 for women and 2 for men. While the emphasis is on food group selection, the Mediterranean Diet also suggest daily exercise and eating with others, which are good practices to start.

What are the health benefits?

The health benefits of the Mediterranean has been well studied. One of the most studied link is between the Mediterranean diet and the prevention of cardiovascular disease. Studies show that following a Mediterranean diet can reduce your risk of stroke, heart attacks and death from cardiovascular disease. It has also been shown to significantly reduce blood pressure.

Mediterranean diets also have been useful in preventing and treating diabetes. The Mediterranean diet can help lower glucose levels and improve insulin sensitivity.

Besides diabetes and cardiovascular disease, the Mediterranean diet has been helpful to improve sleep quality, manage PCOS, prevent cognitive decline, decrease the risk of depression and prevent some cancers.

Although the Mediterranean diet is considered a ‘diet’, it does not require any change in the amount of food intake. Working with a naturopathic doctor to tailor a diet like the Mediterranean diet can be an important step in preventative medicine and building the foundation of health.

References

Schwingshackl L, Hoffmann G. Adherence to Mediterranean diet and risk of cancer: an updated systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies. Cancer Medicine. 2015;4(12):1933-1947. doi:10.1002/cam4.539
Shafiei F, Salari-Moghaddam A, Larijani B, Esmaillzadeh A. Adherence to the Mediterranean diet and risk of depression: a systematic review and updated meta-analysis of observational studies. Nutr Rev. 2019;77(4):230-239. doi:10.1093/nutrit/nuy070
Martini D. Health Benefits of Mediterranean Diet. Nutrients. 2019;11(8). doi:10.3390/nu11081802
Campanini MZ, Guallar-Castillón P, Rodríguez-Artalejo F, Lopez-Garcia E. Mediterranean Diet and Changes in Sleep Duration and Indicators of Sleep Quality in Older Adults. Sleep. 2017;40(3). doi:10.1093/sleep/zsw083
Georgoulis M, Kontogianni M, Yiannakouris N. Mediterranean Diet and Diabetes: Prevention and Treatment. Nutrients. 2014;6(4):1406-1423. doi:10.3390/nu6041406
Rees K, Takeda A, Martin N, et al. Mediterranean-style diet for the primary and secondary prevention of cardiovascular disease. Cochrane Heart Group, ed. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. Published online March 13, 2019. doi:10.1002/14651858.CD009825.pub3
Benson G, Pereira RF, Boucher JL. Rationale for the Use of a Mediterranean Diet in Diabetes Management. Diabetes Spectrum. 2011;24(1):36-40. doi:10.2337/diaspect.24.1.36

Ozone therapy: A diverse treatment option

Ozone therapy is a treatment used frequently in our clinic to help patients with a variety of different symptoms and conditions. Ozone is made up of 3 oxygen molecules. It is found naturally in the earth’s atmosphere and it can be produced with specialized equipment to be used therapeutically. It is a strong antioxidant that donates an oxygen molecule to the body’s cells that need it to keep them healthy and strong. Ozone helps to keep the body in balance, can help with antiaging, and modulates the immune system. It has been used and researched for over 50 years in Europe.

At Natural Terrain, Dr. Mason-Wood, ND has studied and completed certifications allowing him to safely administer ozone therapy.

What is it used for?

Ozone therapy can be used for a number of different reasons. Some of the common uses include…

Bacterial infections
Chronic viral infections
Chronic Fungal infections
Dental infections
Chronic diseases
Cancers
Ulcers, wounds, rashes
Athletic performance
Anti-aging
Pain management
Inflammation
Brain fog

Administration

Ozone can be administered locally or systemically based on your needs. When ozone is administered systemically, it is administered through an IV. Ozone can also be injected locally, used in topical olive oil, or used as ear insufflation.

Ozone therapy has provided a lot of relief for a lot of our patients. Consult a naturopathic doctor to find out if ozone therapy is right for you.

Korean-style Dandelion Salad

It’s hard not to notice the amount of yellow dandelions out there right now. Dandelions are more than a colourful addition to the yard, they are also great botanical herb and make a delicious salad.

Recently, we spent some time weeding, and instead of throwing away or composting the weeds, we were able to use the leaves for this salad. We love that this salad is environmentally friendly and that it had a delicious taste.

We hope you try and enjoy this salad.

Ingredients

Leaves of 4-5 large (8-10 small) dandelions washed and rinsed
1 cup of chives (or green onions) thinly sliced
4 cloves of garlic minced
1-2 tbsps toasted sesame seeds (crushed or whole)
3 tbsps soy sauce
1 tbsp sesame oil
2 tsps cane sugar
1-2 tsps Korean red pepper powder (Gochugaru) – depending on how hot you like it
2 tbsps apple cider vinegar

Instructions

Wash and rinse the leaves thoroughly.
Blanche 1-2 minutes and soak in cold water for 3-4 hours, the longer you soak, the less bitter it becomes.
Wring out excess water in hands until most of the water is gone.
Finely Chop.
To make the dressing, mix together the soy sauce, sesame oil, sugar, Korean pepper powder and vinegar.
In a large bowl, toss the greens, garlic and sesame seeds with dressing right before serving.

Recipe: Cauliflower Sheppard’s Pie

This is a hearty and wholesome meal that our whole family loved. We always get excited when we find recipes that are both delicious and packed with nutrients that will keep us healthy. We found the recipe from Dr. Raza Shah, ND, we made some tweaks and came out with a beautiful Sheppard’s pie.

To limit exposure to toxins, we suggest buying organic vegetables. It is good to refer to the Environmental Working Group’s Dirty Dozen to identify which vegetables and fruits are typically high in toxins. These are the vegetables and fruit which we prioritize when buying organic.

One of our favourite places to get our meat is from TK Ranch. They are an Albertan company, animal welfare approved, certified grass-fed and focus on environmental sustainability.

We hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we did!

Serving Size: 4

Time: 1 hour

Ingredients

1 head of cauliflower (chopped into florets)
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 yellow onion (diced)
2 cloves of garlic (minced)
16 ozs of extra lean ground beef
3 cups mushrooms (sliced)
2 cups carrot (diced)
2 stalks of celery (diced)
1 tbsp Italian seasoning
1/4 tsp sea salt

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350ºF (177ºC)
Place cauliflower florets in a saucepan, cover with water and bring to a boil. Let the florets boil until they are soft, about 15 minutes.
Heat a large pan with 1 tbsp of olive oil. Add in onions and garlic, until translucent and fragrant, about 5 minutes.
Next, add the meat, and cook until browned
Add the mushrooms, carrots, celery, Italian seasoning and salt. Cook for a few minutes, until the meat is cooked through. Remove from heat.
Drain the cauliflower. In the same pot, add 1 tbsp of olive oil and a sprinkle of salt to the cauliflower. Mash well until the cauliflower becomes almost like a puree
Transfer the meat mixture to a casserole or pie dish and distribute it into an even layer. Top with the cauliflower mash and spread it evenly across the top.
Place in the oven and bake for 20 minutes. Turn the oven to a low broil and broil for 10 minutes or until golden. Remove from oven and serve. Enjoy!

Note:

If you are following a vegan or vegetarian diet you can substitute the ground meat for cooked lentils.

What’s In Your Summer BBQ? Series (Part 2 of 2)

This is part 2 of a super summer BBQ series, following from part 1 that talked about hot dogs, burgers, veggie burgers and buns. Now read up on all the other trimmings that come with a BBQ so you can enjoy your next summer hang to the fullest!

#4: Condiments

Ketchup, BBQ Sauce, Relish

Classic ketchup is made with tomatoes, vinegar, lots of sugar, and artificial flavouring. A tbsp of it contains 4g sugar, and the average person puts at least 2 tbsp on a burger or hot dog, giving you another 8-10g sugar – yikes! Conventional ketchup is also made with conventional tomatoes, which are on the Environmental Working Groups dirty dozen list of the most chemically-sprayed agricultural products. For a healthier choice, choose organic ketchup and reduce the amount you use to cut back on sugar. Dr. Mason-Wood, ND loves his ketchup so he makes it himself or buys the Simply Naturals Organic ketchup. The same applies to bbq sauces and other sweet-type sauces and relishes. When using these condiments, choose organic and low-sugar when possible, and limit use as much as possible.

Mustard

There is a bright side to condiments: mustard! Mustard is relatively low in preservatives and is usually very low in sugar (but check the label). Mustard seed is also a good source of vitamin B1, selenium and magnesium, which are important nutrients for various body functions. Its only downside is that it can contain a high amount of sodium.

Mayonnaise

It’s especially important to pay attention to mayonnaise because there is so much variation between the different kinds. Regular Hellman’s mayonnaise is mostly fat from canola oil and low-quality eggs, along with preservatives, salt and sugar. Canola oil is becoming a dangerous food the more that its agricultural source, rapeseed, is becoming genetically modified. It can also be partially hydrogenated, but this is now banned because of the well-documented negative health impacts from hydrogenation. A good alternative to regular mayo is a version made with avocado oil, cage-free eggs and honey instead of sugar.

#5 Toppings

It’s hard to go wrong here because they’re vegetables, right? There are always options that can make your choices healthier.

Lettuce

Iceberg lettuce, for example, while being a lettuce is just basically water: not a lot of nutrients or vitamins. Swap this out for Boston lettuce, romaine or even leafy kale and you’ll get B vitamins, antioxidants and minerals with your meal.

Tomatoes

Tomatoes are generally great to add, but make sure they are organic because they are in the top 12 foods most heavily sprayed with pesticides. According to the Environmental Working Group, one sample of conventional tomatoes contained 15 different pesticides and their harmful breakdown products. Also something to think about: have you ever considered if you have a food sensitivity to nightshades? This is a family of vegetables that include tomatoes, eggplant, peppers and potatoes, and for some people these foods can cause inflammation and exacerbate conditions like arthritis, skin conditions, autoimmune conditions, and even mental health concerns. A good way to test for this is by doing an elimination diet or food sensitivity testing with your Naturopathic Doctor.

Sauerkraut

Sauerkraut is generally a healthy food traditionally consisting of fermented cabbage, other vegetables, and salt. This means it is a live food with gut-healthy bacteria that will support your bacterial microbiota. But did you know that the grocery-store types that are sealed or canned are actually devoid of fermented bacteria? This is because they’re eliminated in the canning/processing. You can find a good, healthy, natural version at the Italian Centre locations in Edmonton.

#6: Drinks

Often at BBQs there are all sorts of sugary drinks, especially when there are kids around. Keep an eye out for pops and sodas with sugar, caffeine and artificial colours and flavours and carbonated drinks. Opt for water instead, or diluted juices or cooled herbal teas. Try an iced peppermint tea or iced hibiscus tea- refreshing, delicious and good for you! The reason that carbonated drinks (including water) are to be kept to a minimum and best avoided is that regular consumption contributes to osteoporosis.

#7: Socialize and run around

Don’t forget that the point of barbecues is to get together and enjoy summer. The guidelines of the most widely recommended diet, called the Mediterranean diet, has a whole section that recommends sharing meals and socializing with others. Lowering stress and increasing face-to-face contact with other humans actually changes the way we digest and metabolize food. So maybe once you’ve done your best with your food choices, let yourself relax and enjoy being with others. Let yourself make some Vitamin D naturally by running around in the sun without lathering yourself up in sun screen.

Here’s to a happy summer!

References

Nutritional info on ketchup http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/vegetables-and-vegetable-products/3005/2
Bad condiments https://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2013/02/21/bad-condiments_n_2733484.html
Canola oil https://draxe.com/canola-oil-gm/
Environmental Working Group Dirty Dozen https://www.ewg.org/foodnews/dirty-dozen.php
Sauerkraut https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/howto/guide/health-benefits-sauerkraut
Mediterranean diet https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/mediterranean-diet/art-20047801.

Using Hydrotherapy for Pain Relief

Hydrotherapy is the use of water for healing the body. Specifically, alternating hot and cold water therapy is hugely beneficial for pain relief and it’s free!

Using hot and cold can help manage pain. For acute pain (eg. sprained ankle in the first 48 hours), cold is always used, to keep swelling down. But chronic pain doesn’t have the same kind of swelling as a very recent injury. Often, the issue is actually that the area is not getting enough circulation.

Circulation is necessary for healing chronic injury and damage because it brings fresh, healing blood with growth factors and platelets, and takes away cellular waste products and toxins. Injuries in tendons and other areas with poor circulation often heal poorly for the lack of fresh blood.

For this reason, many injuries and areas of damage benefit greatly from hydrotherapy. Alternating exposure to cold and hot water is an excellent way to stimulate circulation and waste removal from an inflamed or injured area of the body and reduce pain.

How does it work?

Cold water makes the superficial blood vessels constrict, sending the blood into deeper tissue. Following that with hot water dilates the superficial vessels and draws it out again. Alternating hot and cold in buckets of water or in hot/cold showers is essentially acting like a pump in your muscles, moving the blood around and helping flush out areas that don’t get quite as much circulation. This is also an excellent technique for someone with cold hands and feet in the winter- alternating hot and cold showers can save you from the painful cold in the fingertips and toes.

When using alternating hot and cold hydrotherapy, it is important that you always start with hot and finish with cold. A basic hydrotherapy protocol looks like this:

Start hot (not scaling) for 3 minutes
Alternate between hot and cold every 3 minutes, going as cold as you can go without pain and as hot as you can go without scalding yourself.
Repeat for 8 cycles (4x each temp) and finish cold.

You can use buckets of water if it’s for ankles or feet, visit a spa or spring with hot and cool baths, or you can simply turn your shower to hot and cold.

What does it help treat?

Strains and sprains of the foot, ankle, elbow, knee, wrist, neck, or shoulder
Swelling (once the acute stage has passed)
Muscle spasms
Joint aches
Repetitive-strain injuries, such as tendonitis or tennis elbow
Sports injuries
Flare-ups of chronic conditions, such as arthritis or fibromyalgia
Some pains associated with cancer
Any other injury that causes swelling or aching

When to use contrast hydrotherapy

Use when an injury is a semi-chronic or chronic condition. This means when it’s been more than 72 hours after an injury and your body is not in acute inflammation. It’s particularly helpful for recurrent or very long-term “achey” pain, even pain that’s been there for months or years.

When not to use contrast hydrotherapy

Don’t use when there is any open skin wounds or risk of infection. Be cautious if there is decreased sensation or neuropathy (as in a diabetic foot, for example), because it may be harder to tell if the water is scalding or freezing the skin. Likewise be cautious if there are any heart or systemic conditions that react to varying temperatures, like cold urticaria (hives).

Learn more about pain management by booking a consult with Dr. Mason-Wood, ND and discuss your treatment options today.