Every Tuesday from 11am -12pm I host The Health Hub, an interactive, forward thinking talk show on Radio Maria Canada. Call, tweet or email your questions as together we explore health issues that are relevant to you from new and innovative points of view.
This Week on TheHealthHub…
At the age of 17, Stefan Pietrobono was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma Stage 3B. Today at the age of 24, he is a Kinesiology graduate from the University of Toronto, an MBA graduate from the Odette School of Business and through both speaking and personal appearances is an inspiration to other young people who are going through a cancer diagnosis.
Stefan is humble, kind and determined to make a difference in our health world. His hashtag is #LivetoInspire and he will join me this Tuesday on TheHealthHub.
The lymphatic system is designed to eliminate cell waste. If our bodies are overloaded with toxins the lymphatic system can become bogged down and not function optimally. To overcome this toxic overload it is important to have methods that aid in decreasing toxins and to help the lymphatic system to function properly. Below are 4 methods that you can implement to help stimulate your lymphatic system.
Exercise
Lymphatic fluid circulates through the lymph vessels that pass between the muscles of our bodies heading in one direction towards the heart. Because the lymphatic system does not have a pump, it relies on the contracting skeletal muscles to move the lymph along. Therefore, exercise plays a vital role in lymphatic fluid circulation.
REBOUNDING is one example of an excellent exercise benefiting the lymphatic system.
A rebounder is the equivalent of a small trampoline. Jumping on a rebounder greatly improves the circulation of lymphatic fluid within the body as muscular contractions push the fluid through the lymphatic vessels. When the muscular contraction is used in combination with deep breathing, lymphatic circulation is enhanced even more.
Dry brushing
Dry brushing stimulates the lymphatic system helping it release toxins.
Dry skin brushing helps the lymphatic system to clean itself of the toxins that collect in the lymph glands. This aids in giving the lymph fluid a better flowing consistency helping the lymphatic system to work more efficiently.
Dry brushing in combination with regular exercise prevents stagnation and accumulation of the waste products that can deposit in our muscles, organs and joints.
Going Braless
Many types of bras restrict the movement of the breasts and impede lymphatic circulation. Try to wear a bra less than 12 hours daily and not to bed.
Hydrotherapy
Hydrotherapy is a time-honoured technique that uses the properties of water such as temperature and pressure to stimulate the removal of toxins from elimination organs and the lymphatic system. There are many different types of hydrotherapies, including saunas, colonics and simple hot and cold showers.
Hot and cold showers are an especially convenient and effective method of hydrotherapy. The alternating hot and cold water creates an ongoing contraction and relaxation of blood vessels and other tissues, resulting in a pumping effect that helps pump blood and lymphatic fluid through tissues more efficiently, clearing out the waste and bringing in the nutrients. A common protocol is 2 cycles of a 2 minute hot shower and 30 seconds cold.
Your lymphatic system is an important part of your immune system. Implementing one or more of the above strategies will support your lymphatic system and help to strengthen your immune system.
Every Tuesday from 11am -12pm I host The Health Hub, an interactive, forward thinking talk show on Radio Maria Canada. Call, tweet or email your questions as together we explore health issues that are relevant to you from new and innovative points of view.
This Week on TheHealthHub…
Known as the “picky eater dietitian”, child-feeding expert Kristen Yarker, MSc, RD is who you call when feeding your child isn’t going well. Since 2008 Kristen has worked with caregivers to provide good nutrition for their kids today…and, instill a LOVE of food that lasts a lifetime. Kristen is the go-to consultant for health authorities, the BC Ministry of Health, and non-profit organizations, developing policies and resources used throughout Canada.
Fresh strawberries are plump, red and just a delicious summer treat. In Ontario strawberry season spans the months of June and July. Fun fact, strawberries are a member of the rose family. And here is another fun fact. Those ‘seeds’ that we see on the outside of strawberries aren’t actually seeds. They are the fruits of the strawberry plant and inside each of these tiny fruits are teeny tiny seeds. The red, fleshy part is the base of the flower.
Strawberries are a top antioxidant food making them a smart choice in a healthy diet. They are high in vitamin C and manganese and contain a good punch of fiber.
Strawberries continue to make the Dirty Dozen list. The Environmental Working Group is the author of the Dirty Dozen list and they reported in their 2017 release that a single sample of strawberries showed upwards of 20 different pesticides. Key take away, when and if possible buy your strawberries organic.
Popping these yummy berries like candy is the best way to eat them but if you want to change things up a bit here is simple, healthy recipe for Strawberry Jam. Just click on the recipe card below.
Hormones are chemical messengers that affect many different aspects of our health. When in proper balance things move along tickety-boo. But if our hormones become imbalanced a cascade of symptoms such as weight gain, cravings, mood swings, hot flashes and night sweats, to name but a few, can be experienced. Trying to regain hormone balance can be complicated and may even require the help of someone experienced in the field. But it is important that you start somewhere. Here are three tips that you can start implementing yourself to help with balancing your hormones.
Lower Your Stress Level
When we are stressed, the adrenals work overtime to protect us from what they consider physical stress (even though we are not really in danger). This is our fight or flight response. It causes the adrenals to produce higher levels of adrenaline and cortisol.
Because we can only produce adrenaline for a few seconds, our fight or flight response is dependent on excess cortisol, and this is where the havoc begins. Excess cortisol has been linked to depression, blood sugar problems, reproductive issues, anxiety and weight gain around the middle.
The key is to support the health of the adrenals with foods rich in B vitamins, vitamin C and potassium. Practising meditation or deep breathing helps lower cortisol.
Focus on Your Liver
Excess hormones like cortisol, estrogen and testosterone all need to be detoxed out of the body. This is a key process that the liver performs to make sure we do not suffer from the excess of these hormones. Supporting the health of the liver, therefore is critical. A milk thistle supplement helps liver function more optimally. Cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli and kale, apples, grapefruit, garlic, onions, Jerusalem artichokes, lemons, limes and berries are just a few foods that help support the liver.
We also need good gut health to help make sure the toxins leave the body so supporting gut health is also important. This is easier said than done but it starts with adding probiotics and fermented foods such as kefir, yogurt, kimchi or sauerkraut. Prebiotic foods such as garlic, onion, potatoes, wheat, broccoli, berries and apples, just to name a few, feed our good bacteria and help keep our gut healthy.
Balance Your Blood Sugar
Bad eating habits and stress can cause our blood sugar to swing up and down throughout the day. When our blood sugar drops, we can experience anger, fatigue, weakness and depression. Normally, we then receive a signal to do something such as a sugar craving or a desire for a coffee or a beer. If we respond to the craving, and consume something, this will bring our blood sugar back up. Caffeine, sugar and alcohol all cause the blood sugar to swing up high. This causes a high insulin release. And too much insulin can affect other hormones.
If we do not respond to the craving, then our adrenals send a signal to tell the liver to release stored glucose and bring up blood sugar. Again, it tends to be a lot of glucose since adrenaline is a powerful hormone. Blood sugar swings high and again, large amounts of insulin are released.
To keep blood sugar stable, eat small meals throughout the day with fiber and/or protein. Blood sugar stabilizing foods such as Jerusalem artichokes, cinnamon and legumes can be very helpful. Lowering stress also helps keep blood sugar stable.
These are just three simple steps. Give them a try and see the difference they can make.
