How to Minimise Your Exposure to Everyday Toxins

Invisible Toxins in our Lives

There are chemicals present in our every day environment that are harmful to our bodies. The industrial and agricultural revolutions have made a huge difference to how we live and eat. The side effect of these revolutions is that we have been exposed to chemicals our bodies are not designed to deal with. These chemicals are present in our water, our food, the air we breath, consumer and personal care products, and have even been found in breastmilk and in utero. We are just beginning to realise the harmful effects that these chemicals exert.  

We have fluoride in our water, mercury in our fillings and fish, nitrates in fertilisers, PCBs as coolant in fridges, Teflon on our saucepans, lead, aluminium and much more. Cigarette smoke contains over 4000 deadly chemicals! These include ammonia, arsenic, cadmium, carbon monoxide, DDT and Hydrogen cyanide.

Most Common Offenders 

Phthalates are in many cosmetic products including hairspray, shampoo, fragrances, make-up and

deodorants. They are hormone like chemicals that have been linked to reproductive and developmental delays in animals.
Flame Retardants commonly used in mattresses,upholstery, clothes and television and computer casings. Studies link them to learning and memory problems, lower sperm counts and poor thyroid
function in rats and mice.
Air Fresheners and Cleaning Solutions, when used excessively or in a small unventilated area release toxic levels of pollutants. Air fresheners in particular are linked to many volatile organic compounds.
BPA or Bispenol-A has a structure similar to estrogen and is referred to as a 'hormone disruptor'. They are found in plastic water and drinks bottles and are very disruptive to the body.           

             

Areas proven to be affected

Our brain and nervous system, immune system, our hormines, reproduction and fertility, skin and respiratory health, birth defects and developmental delays, DNA mutation and cancer. 

Thankfully, there are lots of things we can do to minimise our exposure.

How to Minimise Toxin Exposure in Our Bodies

• Mercury is toxic to the brain and is prominent in large ocean fish such as tuna. Consume small fish that are low in mercury and high in healthy omega 3 fats such as mackerel, herring and wild salmon.

• Avoid buying and drinking water in plastic bottles and NEVER drink from plastic bottles that have been left in a warm car. The stronger estrogen like chemicals contained in the plastic will leach into the water and can cause hormone  disruption. Invest in a stainless steel drinking bottle.

• Wash all fresh fruit and vegetables in a vinegar and water solution before consuming. The fruits and vegetables sprayed with the most pesticides are apples, celery, cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, grapes, hot peppers, peaches, potatoes, spinach, strawberries, sweet bell peppers, salad leaves. BUY ORGANIC fruit, vegetables, meat and fish where possible.

• Eat a diet rich in strong coloured fruits and vegetables as these contain anti-oxidants and other phytonutrients that will help to keep your body clean from the inside out.

• Drink plenty of filtered water and eat plenty of dietary fibre to help elimination of waste from the body. You should aim for at least 1-2 bowel movements a day.

• Support your liver and detoxification pathways. Include lots of sulphur rich foods in your diet such as onions, garlic, broccoli, sprouts, kale, cabbage and cauliflower.

• Keep moving! Breathe deeply and walk every day! When you walk at a brisk pace your legs provide a natural pumping action which serves to move the lymph through the lymphatic system.  Lymph is a colourless fluid containing white blood cells, that helps rid the body of toxins, waste and other unwanted materials. It does not have have a pump so it is very important to keep it moving. It is also vitally important that we breath properly and deeply. Our lungs are actually our second largest detox organ in the body! 

How to Minimise Toxin Exposure in our Homes

• Wet dusting and mopping helps to keep house dust under control.

• Switch to non-toxic cleaners. Baking soda is good for sinks and vinegar and water is good for windows and floors. Lemon juice in a spray bottle with water leaves a lovely smell in your kitchen and bathroom. Rinse with water afterwards.

• Never place plastic containers in a microwave even if it says it's safe on the label.

• Use a fluoride free toothpaste and consider getting a water filter that will remove fluoride and other impurities from your home supply.

• Use eco friendly cleaning products, and go for fragrance free washing detergents.

• Rinse the suds off your washing up under the tap before drying.

• Use pure aromatherapy oils to fragrance your home instead of toxic air freshener sprays and plug ins.

• Store fresh foods or cooked foods and liquids in glass or ceramic containers.

Thank you for visiting my Blog today.  If you require any more information or would like to book a nutritional consultation with me,  please ring me on 085 166 1648 or email me at katyosullivannutrition@gmail.com

Yours in nutrition

Katy.

Nutritional Therapy Consultation Information

What is Naturopathic Nutritional Therapy?

Naturopathic Nutritonal Therapy looks at the whole person and tries to find the root cause of illness.  It does not 'treat' illness but supports the body to heal itself naturally, through changes in diet and lifestyle. During a consultation I will investigate all aspects of your medical history, past and present, and that of close family members, and build up a detailed picture of how each system in the body is working.  Then, by thorough analysis of this information and current diet and lifestyle, I will identify any nutritional deficiencies or excesses that are contributing to your state of health and make suggestions for changes in diet and lifestyle that will help start to nurture your body back to health.  I may also suggest some initial supplementation to help kick start the healing process.

Do you suffer from any of these health issues?

Constipation, bloating, diarrhoea, IBS, reflux and indigestion, PCOS, infertility, PMS, migraines, endometriosis, thyroid issues, diabetes, depression, anxiety, difficulty coping with stress, asthma, allergies, eczema, food intolerances, constant colds/sickness, fibromyalgia, ME, chronic fatigue, high blood pressure, cardiovascular issues, obesity, menopause, arthritis, persistent pain.  Autoimmunity including psoriasis, Hashimotos Thyroiditis, Lupus, MS, Graves, rheumatoid arthritis. Cancer support. ADHD, autistic spectrum disorder, pregnancy...

Nutritional Therapy will put you in charge of your health

You will be amazed at the difference a change in nutrition can make to your overall wellbeing.  As I mentioned, Nutritional Science has identified the nutrients that your body uses to nourish and repair you.  You get these nutrients from the food that you eat and your food can either be your greatest poison or your best medicine.  Your body works hard to keep you healthy.  If you do not provide your cells with the right nutrients, ill health will ensue.  I will provide you with the nutritional plan you need to help bring you back to healthy state, and the knowledge going forward to keep you that way.

Nutritional Therapy can benefit all ages

Proper nutrition can make an important difference to your health as you age. We are all biochemically unique. It is important to know that even though you may be genetically predisposed to a disease, it doesn't have to mean that you will automatically succumb.  Those genes still have to be 'turned on'.  This is determined largely by our lifestyle, the food that we eat and the toxins in our everyday environment.  I can help you identify the risks and put a nutritional strategy in place to help minimise your exposure to toxins and greatly reduce the risk of succumbing to genetic disease.

The Consultation

As well as the investigations mentioned above, all personal consultations include a zinc taste test, nail and tongue analysis, a blood pressure check and a weight/bmi check.  You will also receive comprehensive feedback of my findings, a personalised nutrition plan, and email support.  Recipes and meal plans are also included.
Consultations are available in person and via video message if distance is an issue.  Initial consultations will last about 2 hours while a follow up will last about 1 hour.  This entails a complete review of your initial symptoms and revision of the original nutritional plan where necessary.

Fees

Initial 2 hour consult - 120 euro

Follow-up (1 hour) - 60 euro

Skype Consultation - 100 euro

I also provide Food Intolerance Testing via Lorisan and Functional Laboratory Testing via Genova Diagnostics.  These tests are provided at an extra cost. I will supply details on request.

To book a consultation please call 087 617 8339 or email: katymistnutrition@gmail.com

Thank you for visiting. Yours in Nutrition,

Katy

'Healing Body and Soul Through Nutrition'

                                                                                                                

 

Dairy Free Chocolate Icecream

Dairy Free Chocolate Icecream

Ingredients

1 400ml can organic coconut milk

1 banana (could replace this with a large ripe avocado)

2 Dessert spoons Organic Cacao Powder

1 tspn vanilla extract

2 Tblspn raw local honey (to taste)

Method

• Place all the ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.
• Pour into an ice-cream machine and churn for 40-50 minutes
• Remove to a freezer proof container and freeze for a further 1-2 hours
• ENJOY!

This is a totally delicious ice-cream.  I found using the ingredients in the quantities above gave a really delicate flavour and it is so refreshing and healthy too!. My kids loved it!

- the coconut milk provides you with healthy fats that are immediately converted to energy and used for fuel in your cells.
- the banana provides you with the amino acid tryptophan and vitamin B6 which are co-factors for  serotonin - our happy hormone. It is high in fibre and also helps protect against heartburn, improves digestion and is soothing to the digestive tract.
- the cacao powder is rich in magnesium, iron, tryptophan, antioxidants and chromium (excellent for regulating blood sugar levels)
- raw local honey is protective of your immune system and regular consumption can lessen your risk to developing hay-fever if you are a sufferer.

 Variations

• You could add chopped dates and/or goji berries to add texture and more sweetness.
• You could use xylitol instead of the honey to sweeten. Xylitol is a natural plant sugar that does not affect your blood sugar levels in the way normal sugar does.
• Grate organic dark chocolate and add a couple of dessert spoons through the feeder of the ice-cream maker towards the end of the churning.

Ice-cream machine

You don't need to have an ice-cream machine to make this ice-cream. Just place the blended ingredients in a freezer proof container and whisk every 30 minutes until desired consistency is achieved. The ice-cream machine I have was a very reasonably priced 'special buy' I bought from Aldi or Lidl. It was around the 20euro mark and it does the job perfectly.  I would highly recommend getting one if you haven't already got one

Coconut Cacao Energy Balls

Coconut Cacao Energy Balls

What you need:

1 handful of almonds (1/2 cup)
8 Brazil nuts
2 dessert spoons flax seeds
2 dessert spoons pumpkin seeds
2 dessert spoons sunflower seeds
2 dessert spoons goji berries
8 dates (stones removed)
1/2 heaped teaspoon cacao powder
2 dessert spoons coconut oil (melted)
Desiccated coconut for dusting

What to do:

Grind together the flax, pumpkin and sunflower seeds.
Chop up the dates and Brazil nuts roughly.
Place all ingredients in a food processor (except for the desiccated coconut) and process until you have a smooth consistency.
The mixture should stick together when rolled into balls. If not, add water a few drops at a time until it does.
Roll into 10 (approx) balls and coat with desiccated coconut.
Place in refrigerator for 20 minutes to  'set'.

Totally delicious and cram packed with healthy fats and antioxidants, these are a great snack and a guilt free healthy treat to keep your energy balanced and your cells happy! Instead of grinding the seeds yourself you could use a ready made blend or just throw everything in the processor.

Nutrition at a glance:

Almonds - In addition to healthy fats and vitamin E (antioxidant), a quarter-cup of almonds contains 62 mg of magnesium plus 162 mg of potassium. Magnesium is a super mineral needed for over 300 reactions in the body.  It’s a muscle relaxer, bone strengthener and it helps to make our happy hormones – to name a few.  Potassium is an important electrolyte involved in nerve transmission and the contraction of all muscles including the heart. It is also essential for maintaining normal blood pressure and heart function.

Brazil Nuts – A good source of B vitamins which help with energy and metabolism, and also help support the body’s stress response, Brazil nuts are high in selenium, an antioxidant and vital component to proper thyroid function. Just 3 of these nuts satisfies our daily selenium requirement.  They contain good levels of other mineral too such as copper, magnesium, manganese, potassium, calcium, iron, phosphorus, and zinc

Ground Flax Seeds – Healthy fats! The antioxidant benefits of flaxseeds have long been associated with prevention of cardiovascular diseases and have recently also been tied to decreased insulin resistance.

Pumpkin Seeds – contain a wide variety of nutrients ranging from magnesium and manganese to copper, protein and zinc. Pumpkin seeds may benefit your heart, liver and immune system, help fight diabetes, and offer unique benefits for men’s prostate health and women’s relief of menopause symptoms as well.

Sunflower Seeds – contain healthy fats and are an excellent source of vitamin E - the fat soluble antioxidant.  They also contain significant amounts of selenium and magnesium.

Goji Berries - Goji berries are rich in antioxidants, particularly carotenoids such as beta-carotene and zeaxanthin. One of zeaxanthin's key roles is to protect the retina of the eye by absorbing blue light and acting as an antioxidant.

Dates – Full of dietary fibre which helps to move waste out of your body and stops reabsorption of harmful hormones and bacteria. They are full of minerals and B vitamins and also contain vitamin A, which helps protect the eyes, maintain a healthy skin and mucous membranes, and vitamin K, vital for blood clotting and bone health.

Cacao – Super antioxidant, helping to scavenge free radicals which damage our cells. High mineral content including magnesium and iron.

Coconut Oil – benefits too numerous to mention here! Supportive of brain health, and gut health and also provides us with an instant energy boost into our cells.

References:

http://www.nutrition-and-you.com/brazil-nuts.html

http://www.whfoods.com

http://articles.mercola.com

http://altmedicine.about.com

http://foodfacts.mercola.com/dates.html

Golden Soul Healing Chicken Super Soup

Golden Soul Healing Chicken Super Soup

Bone Broth

Ingredients

Chicken carcass (I used 1 free range chicken carcass, bones from organic chicken pieces and ½ duck carcass)

1 Organic Onion (topped and tailed but skin left on)

2 Organic carrots

1 bunch of fresh herbs (I used thyme, parsley, chives and coriander)

2 Ltrs water (enough to cover the bones plus about an inch)

Bring to the boil and simmer gently for 2-3 hours.  The bones should be falling to pieces and the broth a nice golden colour.

Leave to cool slightly and drain broth through a colander into a large saucepan.

Make the Soup

Ingredients

Cooked, cold diced meat from 1 chicken leg or breast

1 medium sweet potato, diced.

1 small ½ inch cube ginger chopped finely

1 garlic clove minced and set aside

1 dessert spoon of coconut oil

½ can Organic Coconut Milk

1 teaspoon turmeric

A good pinch of black pepper

Salt to taste (Herbamere or Sea Salt)

Method

You should have around 1 ½ litres of bone broth.  Put all the ingredients apart from the garlic and the coconut milk into the broth and bring back to the boil.  Simmer until sweet potato is soft.

Add coconut milk and crushed garlic and stir in.  Transfer to a blender and blend until smooth. Pour back into saucepan, season to taste and serve.

Nutrition at a glance

Bone broth contains valuable minerals in a form your body can easily absorb and use, including calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, silicon, glucosamine and other trace minerals and in the words of Dr Natasha Campbell-McBride, author of the book ‘Gut and Psychology Syndrome GAPS’, bone broth ‘heals and seals’ your gut.

Sweet Potatoes contain carotenes and vitamin C making them an excellent antioxidant food. They also contain b vitamins.

Fresh Root Ginger is excellent for relieving symptoms of gastrointestinal stress and is also known for its anti nausea and anti-inflammatory properties.

Garlic is well known for its medicinal properties. Chopping or crushing the raw garlic and leaving it for a few minutes stimulates the enzymatic reaction that produces allicin, the compound to which most of the health benefits are attributed. Due to allicin it has antimicrobial and antibacterial activity and has shown to be effective against infections such as colds, flu and stomach viruses.  Due to its sulphur content it aids liver detoxification and has also demonstrated blood pressure lowering properties in many studies.

Coconut oil contains medium chain fatty acids that are absorbed immediately into your cells for energy.  It is anti-microbial and helps to kill pathogenic bacteria in the gut and feed the good guys. It is neuroprotective and boasts a host of other health benefits.  In this soup it is also helping the turmeric to be more easily absorbed by the body. Turmeric is anti-inflammatory, antiseptic and antibiotic and it also increases the release of digestive enzymes that break down fats and carbohydrates. By adding black pepper to turmeric containing foods you are greatly increasing its bioavailability.

This soup helps to heal your gut. Why is this important?  The state of our gut plays a vital role in our overall wellness. More than 2000 years ago Hippocrates said ‘all disease begins in the gut’.  It is known now that 70% of the cells that make up our immune system are found in the wall of the intestines and up to 80% of our nervous system.  The enteric nervous system, as it is known, is referred to as our ‘second brain’ and sends information to our brain via the vagus nerve.  Around 30 neurotransmitters, including our happy hormone serotonin, are produced here by the good bacteria resident in our intestines using vitamins and minerals absorbed from our food.  Our current western diet which is low in fibre and nutrients, and full of refined carbohydrates and sugar, promotes the overgrowth of pathogenic bacteria. They in turn produce toxins and stop the good guys breaking down and absorbing nutrients from our food and, if not kept in check, will damage the gut wall. This can lead to a condition called ‘leaky gut syndrome’.  Our immune system then has to deal with ‘foreign’ substances that pass through our gut wall that should not have made it into our bloodstream, causing low grade chronic inflammation and initiating food intolerances with symptoms such as hay-fever, eczema, pain and stiffness, concentration issues and a foggy head to name but a few!  If the good bacteria are not restored and the gut healed, these symptoms will persist, further compromising our immunity and seriously affecting overall health in the long term.  As you can see, it’s a very good idea to be kind to your gut.

Good Green Juice

Good Green Juice Recipe-

Serves 2 small or 1 large glass

2 sticks celery

½ cucumber

2 medium apples

Juice of ½ lemon

Large handful of green leaves.

(I used cabbage for mine but kale or spinach is just as good)

Large handful of fresh parsley

Large handful of fresh coriander

1 inch cube of ginger.

Method

Push all ingredients through a juicer.  It’s best to follow the leaves and herbs with something juicy like the cucumber.  Poor over ice and enjoy!   This juice is packed full of nutrients that are absorbed immediately as there’s no breaking down of fibre to be done by the digestive system.

Variations

You can use pears instead of apples to increase the sweetness.

You can add a superfood powder such as chlorella or spirullina to increase the nutritional punch.

Nutrition at a glance:

Celery – Excellent source of vitamin C and a good source of calcium, potassium and vitamins B1,B2 folic acid and B6.  Helps to lower blood pressure, cholesterol and improves detoxification.

Cucumber – Good source of vitamins A, C and folic acid. Cucumber is an excellent source of silica, a mineral which helps to strengthen our connective tissues – holding our body together! They also contain compounds which help to prevent water retention.

Apples – A great source of vitamin C and quercetin, a natural antihistamine.

Cabbage – A cruciferous vegetable which aids liver detoxification of harmful chemicals and hormones.  High in phytochemicals it demonstates more anticancer properties than any other vegetable family.  Cabbage juice has also been shown to be effective in the treatment of peptic ulcers.

Fresh Coriander – Cholesterol lowering, antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory. A chelator of heavy metals such as mercury.

Fresh Parsley – Extremely rich in chlorophyll so good for your blood. A good source of vitamin C, folic acid and iron. And minerals such as magnesium, calcium, potassium and zinc.

Fresh Root Ginger - Excellent for relieving symptoms of gastrointestinal stress.  Also known for its anti nausea and anti-inflammatory properties.

Lemon Juice – Very high in vitamin C, and helps to stimulate digestion due to its bitter nature.

Source – The Encyclopedia of Healing Foods.  Murray and Pizzorno, 2010

About Me

Thank you for visiting my blog! First and foremost, I am mum to five fabulous kids who rock my world and fill me with pride and joy every single day.  After suffering from illness, I became fully qualified as a Naturopathic Nutritional Therapist following 3 very challenging but enjoyable years, studying for my Diploma with the College of Naturopathic Medicine in Galway, Ireland.

I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia in 2011, following more than a year of debilitating fatigue, insomnia, digestive problems, anxiety and a myriad of other nasty symptoms which left me unable to work and incapable of minding my kids and taking part in a normal family life. I was very scared, down and depressed and left facing into a black hole of expensive daily medications. According to my doctor, I had no prospects for recovery. Since that first visit to my doctor when my symptoms started, it was clear that they had no answers to the questions I was asking about what was happening to my body, and no idea how to treat me other than prescribe anti-depressants, pain killers, anti-anxiety meds and laxatives! I didn’t want to manage my symptoms, I wanted to be cured! I was beyond frustrated. With a large young family (my eldest was 8!), I refused to accept that I could only ever manage my symptoms with medication and that my health and quality of life would not improve.

It was then that I embarked on a mission to educate myself about my illness and do all I could holistically to support myself back to wellness.  Acupuncture was (and still is) absolutely fantastic and I found cognitive behavioral therapy to be extremely helpful at the beginning of my journey.  Meditating, giving myself Reiki and growing veg in my garden are activities that have always helped my to unwind, de-stress and relax. I have also enjoyed listening to lectures and reading books by amazing and inspiring people like Dr Wayne Dyer, Caroline Myss, Louise Hay and Deepak Chopra.  All these things have helped me to look at my life from a different perspective and this has certainly been a very powerful tool that has contributed to my healing. However, despite all this, the most amazing change in my health occurred when I started to pay attention to nutrition and the food I was eating.

I felt instinctively that I had found my calling and within weeks of my diagnosis - and with the blessing and support of my family - I researched how I could learn more about Nutritional Therapy and signed up for the course. I learned more in those three years than I could ever imagined about how the food we eat affects how our bodies work. I am constantly in awe of how the body works to keep us well every second of every day and hardly a day goes by that I am not inspired to continue to study and learn as much as I can about it. Nutrition is my passion! It is my belief that given the right nutrition and environment, the body is capable of healing itself from and preventing all illness. Fast forward six years and my life couldn't be better and bares no resemblance to what it was like back then.  Lifestyle change is challenging and I would be a liar to say I haven’t struggled or taken backward steps along the way but that's all been part of my recovery!  Through my blog, facebook page and Practice, I intend to pass on my knowledge, educate people and offer my support - be they healthy or suffering from illness - so that they can take control of their bodies, begin to feel better and live healthier lives.