Now that you are well on your way to leaning about why we should detox, and the top ways we are exposed to toxins that we don’t even know about, it’s time to talk about food! Food is a critical element in any detox. What you are putting into your system can either benefit or hinder your progress. I am sure many of you are already making a list of foods that will be off limits during a detox, but may not be thinking as much about those superstar foods that will help you get maximum benefit for your effort! Let’s get the tough part out of the way and go over the foods that you will need to avoid during your detox.

Foods to Avoid During Detox

• Wheat- pasta, bread, cereal, baked goods made with white flour and white sugar, whole wheat products
• Diary- milk, cheese, yogurt, cream
• Sugar/Artificial Sugar- all processed sugars
• Processed Foods- most contain processed sugars and additives
• Alcohol- makes the liver have to work harder
• Caffeine- taxing on liver during detox
• Red Meat- very inflammatory, produces toxic waste products

Foods to Include During Detox

• Garlic- Sulphur in garlic helps the liver in phase 2 detoxification, which helps make toxins water soluble so that they can be excreted
• Brussel Sprouts- Also high in sulphur, Brussel sprouts are a member of the cruciferous family of vegetables including broccoli, cauliflower, bok choy, cabbage and kale. Cruciferous vegetables help to detoxify excess harmful estrogen.
• Dandelion- Yes you heard me right J Dandelion either in a salad or in a tea form. Dandelion helps to increase bile formation and acts as a mild diuretic.
• Spinach- Contains a high amount of glutathione, our most abundant anti-oxidant. Glutathione neutralizes free radicals and helps with the metabolism of carbohydrates and fat
• Beets- Contain betalains which stimulate the production of glutathione and provide anti-cancer effects.

Last but not least is water. Drinking plenty of fresh water helps any toxins that are being liberated to be eliminated via urine and stool.

Are you feeling motivated to start a detox?

In my next blog post I will cover physical techniques you can do at home to increase your detoxifying potential!

Want to learn simple ways to detox when you have small children? Join me September 8th for my FREE Webinar. Reserve your spot, as space is limited. 

Talk Soon,

Dr Alexis

Dr Alexis practices in Carleton Place at Healthy Impact Naturopathic 

Did you know that Health Canada advises NOT to give cough and cold medications to children under 6? Cough and cold meds are also out for pregnant mommas. If you didn’t know this (or even if you did!) you are probably panicking and thinking “so now what I am going to do when my 2 year old is up coughing ALL night for the 3^rd night in a row!” I have put together my favorite natural cough and cold remedies so you can be well armed for those long nights.

Health Canada Recommendations 

 Here are my top Natural Cough and Cold Remedies for Children

• Eliminate Dairy- Dairy is a damp and phlegm forming food. Not a good combination if you or your child has a wet cough or is stuffed up. Taking out dairy for the duration of your illness will help you to make less secretions.

• Saline Rinse or a NoseFrida- Speaking of secretions…a saline rinse in an older child or a NoseFrida for a baby can help to physically get the secretions out

• Cool Mist Humdifier- Helps to moisten the nasal passages and loosens secretions. We are talking a lot of about secretions, the joys of having children! Change the water in the humidifier daily to avoid the growth of any pathogens.

• Honey and Onions- Dice a white onion, place in a glass storage container and cover the onion with raw unpasteurized, preferably local, honey. Keep in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. You can spoon out a teaspoon of the honey syrup at a time and give to your child/yourself every 4-6 hours. Both the honey and the onion have antibacterial and antiviral properties and the onion helps to “open” the airways. Local honey is preferred because if there is an allergic component to the cough, those bees are exposed to the same pollen that you may be reacting too and help to provide their allergy protection against those pollens. Raw honey is not for use for babies under 1 year of age.

• Vitamin D- Sufficient Vitamin D levels help to keep the immune system strong so it is definitely one to supplement when you are sick. Children can take 400 IU/day and adults 1000 IU. If you or your child are sick in the nicer weather, get outside and get 10-15 minutes of sunshine as well.

• Warming Socks- Here is an old naturopathic trick for congestion. I was skeptical, but trust me…it really works! Take a pair of cotton socks and run them under cold water, wring out then place on feet. Cover with wool socks and go to bed. The socks will warm by morning, and helping to move a lot of blood to your feet can help ease congestion. Practical tip: honestly it feels bad when you put on the cold/wet cotton socks, but that feeling mostly goes away as soon as the wool socks are on. It is one that is worth toughing out!

• Chest Rub- An essential oil and herbal infusion chest rub is a good way to help get congestion moving, soothe muscles that may be sore from coughing, and provide anti-viral and anti-bacterial support. Please not that although eucalyptus oil is often one that comes to mind, it should not be used in children under 6 years of age as it can cause kidney damage. Eco Chic Movement's chest rub does not contain any of the essential oils that are not safe for use in children.

I hope that you learned some new tools to help you manage your little one’s coughs and cold.

As always, feel free to leave any questions or comments below

Talk Soon,

Dr Alexis

Dr Alexis in Kanata and is currently accepting patients. Click here to schedule your appointment.

Naturopathic Medicine is covered by most extended health insurance benefits

Now that the 3 simple rules from part 1 and 2 are second nature to you, here are the final 4 skin care product offenders!

9) Petrolatum

Also know as petroleum jelly or mineral oil jelly.  It has a barrier function and is used to lock moisture into the skin. A great natural alternative to petroleum jelly is shea butter, which also has a strong barrier function. Petrolatum is restricted in skin care products in the Europen Union. Petroleum products are frequently contaminated with PAHs- polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. PAHs are chemicals associated with petroleum products that are known to cause cancer. In fact, during my master’s research , I used a PAH to give my mice cancer so we could then try out different treatment strategies on them L. 

10) Siloxanes

Are silicone based compounds that are used to smooth, soften and moisturize skin and hair. They are commonly found in both skin and hair care products. The main offenders are: cyclotetrasiloxane, cyclopentasiloxane, cyclohexasiloxane and cyclomethicone. The European Union classifies these as hormone disruptors and reproductive toxicants that may impair fertility.  Soften and moisturize your skin naturally with coconut oil

11) Sodium Laureth Sulfate

Commonly referred to as SLS, helps to make products bubble and foam. It is typically found in cleansers, shampoos and shower gels. Like PEGs, it can be contaminated with 1,4-dixoane. SLS is also well known to be irritating to the skin, probably not what you were looking for in your facial cleanser! This is another case of more lather isn’t better. To make a natural cleanser lather better mix it with a bit of warm water and rub vigorously between your hands.

12) Triclosan

Found in antibacterial products, antiperspirants, cleansers and hand sanitizers. Triclosan is a suspected hormone disruptor. Using too much triclosan can also result in the formation of antibiotic resistant bacteria! Try natural antimicrobials in cleansers and sanitizers like grapefruit seed extract, and many essential oils….bonus they smell great too!

Hope you found this series informative, yet not overwhelming. If there is anything you would like to know more about, or a blog topic you would like to see covered feel free to post in the comments below 

Talk Soon,

Dr Alexis

Dr Alexis practices in Kanata and is accepting new patients. To schedule your appointment, click here.  Naturopathic Medicine is covered by most extended insurance benefits. 

Now that you know what to look for (remember the 3 simple rules!) let’s learn some more about what to avoid in your products and why

4) Phthalates

One of the most common offenders in skin care products. It can be hidden under the label “fragrance”, as fragrance recipes are considered trade secrets and do not have to be disclosed. Phthalates can also be used in creams and lotions as emulsifying agents (emulsifying agents are substances that facilitate the mixing of oil and water). A natural emulsifiers to look for in your product is vegetable emulsifying wax. The phthalates most commonly found in personal care products are: diethyl phthalate (DEP) found in deodorant, hair spray, hair mousse, hand and body lotions. Dibutyl phthalate (DBP) deodorant, fragrance, hair spray. Butylbenzyl phthalate (BBzP) fragrance and hair spray, Diethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP) fragrance and Dimetyl phthalate (DMP) in deodorant. Besides choosing 100% natural products, one way to reduce exposure to phthalates is to choose unscented products or products that are scented with essential oils.

5) Formaldehyde-releasing preservatives

The top offenders are: DMDM hydantoin, diazolidinyl urea, imidazolidinyl urea, methenamine, quaternium-15 and sodium hydroxymethylglycinate. The purpose of these ingredients is to slowly release formaldehyde into the product to act as a preservative. Formaldehyde is a known human carcinogen. The best way to avoid exposure to formaldehyde is to choose 100% natural products.

6) Parabens

Are the most widely used preservative in cosmetics. Look for methylparaben, butylparaben, benzylparaben, ethylparaben, isobutylparaben and propylparaben. Parabens are difficult to avoid in conventional skin care products. Parabens, like phthalates, are commonly hidden in products under the umbrella term of “fragrance”. Parabens are easily absorbed through the skin and have an affinity for fatty tissues such as the breast. They also have the ability to mimic estrogen in the body and are classified as a hormone disruptor. Dr Philippa Darbre is one of the key researchers in this field. Her 2004 study found parabens in human breast tumour samples. http://www.reading.ac.uk/biologicalsciences/about/staff/p-d-darbre.aspx

7) Fragrance (Parfum)

Fragrances are a complex mixture of chemicals and as they are a “secret recipe” they do not have to be disclosed. Fragrances are part of a variety of different personal care products from lotion, to hairspray, to deodorant. One trick of the industry is just because something is labeled as “fragrance-free” does not mean that it does not contain fragrance, it could still be there in smaller amounts to mask the smell of the other chemicals in the product.

 8) Polyethylene Glycol (PEGs)

These are petroleum based compounds that help to make creams thicker, and increase the ability to moisturize. Polyethylene glycol is problematic because it is frequently contaminated with 1,4-dioxane. Dioxane is a possible human carcinogen and it easily penetrates the skin. Another glycol to be aware of is propylene glycol, it is a chemical that increases penetration into the skin of product. When coupled with dangerous chemicals this increases the chances that the chemicals will be absorbed into the body.

Stay tuned for the final 4 ingredients to avoid!

Talk Soon,

Dr. Alexis

Dr Alexis practices in Kanata and is accepting new patients. To schedule your appointment, click here.

Do you or your children suffer from eczema?

Watch the video to find out

1) The most common foods that aggravate eczema

2) My top 3 tips to reduce itching

3) Key vitamins and minerals for eczema

Dr Alexis

Dr Alexis practices in Kanata and is accepting new patients. To schedule your appointment, click here.

I get asked ALL THE TIME what kind of makeup I use. I completely understand! It can be hard to find good quality natural makeup that works, without breaking the bank.

Why is it important to use natural makeup anyways? For many of you who have been following us on Facebook and reading the blog it is “old news” that the skin is the biggest organ and ABSORBS what is put on it

Need proof of this? Think about nicotine patches. Through the skin, or transdermally, is a recognized route of absorption for medications, and it works the same way with skin care products

You may be asking yourself “Why do I need natural makeup/skincare? Aren’t the levels of chemicals in there below what is deemed to be safe?”

Yes….and no. Make up and skin care products contain chemicals in amounts based on the determined acceptable levels. So lets say your foundation has chemical A at the acceptable level of 1. The problem is the average woman uses 15 personal care products a day! Don’t think your average…just think about your morning routine…facial cleanser, body wash, shampoo, conditioner, body lotions, facial moisturizer, foundation, mascara, hair spray, deodorant, eye liner, blush….and the list goes on and on.

Safe levels of chemical exposure go out the window when we start using multiple products. Now chemical A that was at its acceptable level of 1 in your foundation is at 15 times the acceptable level (if you are “the average woman”)

So now that you are convinced you should be using natural make up I will share which products I have found to work the best, through A LOT of trial and error J

• Foundation- Sappho Organics

Mineral based foundation has good coverage while still feeling light on the skin. I like the choice of ingredients. Jojoba Oil has an identical fatty acid composition to the skin’s own sebum making it work with both oily and dry complexions.  A bonus that I really like is you can buy samples of the different shades of foundation off their website, making sure you get the perfect match. Vegan Product

• Eye Liner- Zuzu

While not listed as “waterproof” I find it to be. Works as well as a conventional eyeliner! I have had many patients who were experiencing discomfort with their eyeliner switch and have no problems. Vegan and Gluten Free

• Mascara- Fitglow

This mascara is AMAZING! I have tried a tonne, and it’s head and shoulders above the rest. Good for both volume and length. Gluten Free

• Blush- 100% Pure

I am admittedly lazy when it comes to make up. I like a cream blush so I don’t need a brush. This blush comes in great colours that are derived from fruit pigments and blends nicely.

• Lipstick- Ilia

I don’t wear lipstick very often because I think it looks strange on me and I prefer a lip balm…the Eco Chic Movement one of course….but when I do need lipstick I go with Ilia! It’s lead free! The average woman eats 3-5 lbs of lipstick over her lifetime and lead is in a lot of conventional lipsticks. Do yourself a favor and throw those out.

If you are in the Ottawa area, I get all of these products (and more) at Terra20. 

I have tried a tonne of products over the year in the process of overhauling my bathroom. Are there any other favorites of mine you would like me to write about? Post in the comments and I will see what I can do.

Dr Alexis 

Dr Alexis practices in Kanata and is accepting new patients. To schedule your appointment, click here.

Naturopathic Medicine is covered by most extended health insurance benefits.