Just Say NO to Toxic Plastic…Is It Possible?

I often wonder what it would be like if I eliminated all plastic in my life; probably very challenging. Think about it, plastic is everywhere; lining our cans, bottles that we drink from, bags and containers where we store our food, most cosmetic containers including shampoos and creams-plastic is everywhere. And yet most plastic is quite toxic.

I try and live a non toxic life and yet when I think about it, when I look around my house, there is plastic everywhere. We/I buy organic foods that is in cans lined with toxic plastic or we store our high quality food in plastic containers. We buy pure, spring water from Fiji or Italy that is stored in a plastic bottle. Really? It does not make any sense.

But this is the world that we live in today and unless you are seriously committed to getting the plastic out of your life the least we can do is consider limiting our toxic exposure. Here are some tips on how I have done this in my life.

As an aside, I was also thinking too that it would be so wonderful if one day a large influential company like Whole Foods or Trader Joe’s would step up and really own that they are supporting health and not just consumerism and just said no to plastic. If anyone out there wants to start a movement, I am in! After you read this, let me know…

1. Avoid the worst common plastics

Identify the type of plastic of a product by looking at the recycling symbol molded on the item. This is a number from 1 to 7 surrounded by three chasing arrows forming a triangle. The three following plastics are common and are significantly harmful. I suggest you start by just avoiding these 3 as much as you can.

Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC #3): A very toxic plastic that often containing multiple unsafe additives, including lead and phthalates. Still used for some toys, clear food and non-food packaging (e.g., cling wrap), some squeeze bottles, cooking oil and peanut butter jars.

Polystyrene (PS #6): Contains styrene, which is toxic to the brain, nervous system, and various organs. Used in Styrofoam containers, egg cartons, disposable cups and bowls, take-out food containers and most plastic cutlery.

Polycarbonate (Other #7):  #7 is actually a catch-all category including any plastic resin that does not come within the first six categories. Typically it contains BPA, which has been linked to numerous health problems. Used in some baby bottles (though increasingly banned in baby bottles by countries around the world), clear plastic “sippy” cups, sports water bottles, juice and ketchup containers, and in three and five gallon large water storage containers, and most metal food can liners.

Would you like to learn more about the different plastic types? Take a look at our sections on Common Plastics #1 to #7 and Other Plastic Types.

2. Refuse plastic bags and bring your own reusable bags wherever you go 

3. Avoid bottled water and bring your own reusable water bottle or mug with you when you go out

4. When buying canned goods make sure that they are labelled BPA free

5. Use non-plastic containers for food 

To your health!

Happy Friday Everyone

 

Should You Avoid Broccoli and Kale if you have Thyroid Disease?

Cruciferous vegetables like: broccoli, brussels sprouts, cauliflower, kale, bok choy, collards, arugala, watercress, and cabbage contain a dramatic incredible array of phytonutrients with potent health benefits. There is also information circulating suggesting that if you have thyroid disorders, that you need to avoid eating these powerhouse foods because they are goitrogenic and can aggrevate your thyroid especially if you have Hashimoto’s disease. But is this truth?

After you read all the health benefits of these amazing superfoods, you will certainly not want to eliminate them from your diet, even if you have thyroid disease. In fact, you will likely want to run to the store and make sure that your dinner plate is full of them tonight.

But what if you have thyroid disease? Are these safe to eat? Well, as you read on you will also find out more about the truth regarding whether or not you really have to avoid these foods if you have thyroid disease or not. But first, here are some of the amazing benefits of cruciferous vegetables. They are not only packed with incredible nutrients but also ….

1. May help to lower the risk of developing cancer

2. Lab studies show that one of the phytochemicals found in cruciferous vegetables – sulforaphane – can stimulate enzymes in the body that detoxify carcinogens before they damage cells. Isothiocyanates (ITCs), which are perhaps the best studied, have been shown to provide protection against environmental carcinogen exposure by inducing detoxification pathways, thereby neutralizing potential carcinogens.

3. Another way cruciferous vegetables may help to protect against cancer is by reducing oxidative stress. Oxidative stress is the overload of harmful molecules called oxygen-free radicals, which are generated by the body. Reducing these free radicals may reduce the risk of cancer

4. Diets rich in fish and vegetables (including cruciferous and dark-yellow veggies) may also help to protect against cardiovascular disease

5. In another recent study, diets low in cruciferous and yellow vegetables, wine, and coffee but high in sugar-sweetened soft drinks, refined grains, and processed meat were identified as possibly increasing chronic inflammation and raising the risk of type 2 diabetes

6. Keep in mind too that about half of the fiber in cruciferous vegetables is super-healthy soluble fiber.

7. These vegetables also contain indole-3-carbinol (I3C). Indole-3-carbinol has been shown to reduce the risk of breast cancer by decreasing estrogen activity.

Need I say more?

Truth: Those poor cruciferous vegetables may have gotten a bad rap for nothing. Goitrogen is a word that was coined in the 1950’s to describe a substance that causes the formation of a goiter, also knows as an enlarged thyroid gland. It can mean a variety of different things ranging from suppressing the release of thyroid hormone to changing the way thyroid hormone gets produced in the body to suppressing the absorption of iodine.

In relation to cruciferous vegetables, they are have been identified as “goitrogenic” because they have the potential to block iodine absorption.

This was a concern in the 1950’s, as then, the primary reason for hypothyroidism was due to iodine deficiency, and any further changes in iodine levels were potentially problematic. However, since public efforts have been made to add iodine to the salt supplies of most industrialized countries, Hashimoto’s has become the primary reason for hypothyroidism, responsible for 90-97% of cases of hypothyroidism in the United States. Iodine deficiency is not wide spread in people with Hashimoto’s, and thus eating cruciferous vegetables (unless a person is otherwise sensitive to them) is perfectly healthy for people with Hashimoto’s and should not impact thyroid function. In the case that a person does have hypothyroidism due to iodine deficiency, he/she can still enjoy crucifers as long as they are cooked or fermented. Cooking/fermenting will break down the iodine blocking content. http://www.thyroidpharmacist.com/blog/top-7-hashimotos-food-myths

So tonight whether you have a thyroid disorder or not, why not relax and enjoy these healthy foods. I included a simple recipe for brussel sprouts that is really yummy.

Ingredients

1 1/2 pounds Brussels sprouts
3 tablespoons organic cold pressed olive oil
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt or seal salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

optional: lemon juice

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Cut off the ends of your Brussels sprouts and cut each one in half. Mix them in a bowl with the organic olive oil, salt and pepper. Place them on a sheet pan and roast for 35 to 40 minutes until they are visibly crisp on the outside and tender on the inside.( Use a fork to poke one and see how tender it feels.) You may have to shake the pan from time to time to brown the sprouts evenly. Some times I like to add some lemon juice as well but this gives it a more tangy taste and so I say that it is optional. Enjoy!

1. Johnston N. Sulforaphane halts breast cancer cell growth. Drug Discov Today 2004;9(21): 908. Rose P, Huang Q, Ong CN, Whiteman M. Broccoli and watercress suppress matrix metalloproteinase-9 activity and invasiveness of human MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells. Toxicol Appl Pharmacol 2005;S0041-008X.
2. Seow A, Yuan JM, Sun CL, et al. Dietary isothiocyanates, glutathione S-transferase polymorphisms and colorectal cancer risk in the Singapore Chinese Health Study. Carcinogenesis 2002;23(12): 2055-261.
3. Wu HT, Lin SH, Chen YH. Inhibition of cell proliferation and in vitro markers of angiogenesis by indole-3-carbinol, a major indole metabolite present in cruciferous vegetables. J Agric Food Chem SK, Choi S, et al. Sulphoraphane-induced cell death in human prostate cancer cells is initiated by reactive oxygen species. J Biol Chem 2005; 280(20):19911-19924. Xiao D, Srivastava SK, Lew KL, et al. Allyl isothiocyanate a constituent of cruciferous vegetables inhibits proliferation of human prostate cancer cells by causing G2/M arrest and inducing apoptosis. Carcinogenesis 2003;24(5):891-897.
4. Conaway CC, Wang CX, Pittman B, et al. Phenethyl isothiocyanate and sulforaphane and their n-acetylcysteine conjugates inhibit malignant progression of lung adenomas induced by tobacco carcinogens in A/J mice. Cancer Res 2005 65(18): 8548-8557.

 

Sprinkle away inflammation!

Inflammation is now the new buzz word when it comes to your health and if it is not tamed, can cause all sorts of problems for us!  What kind of problems? Well inflammation is basically the root cause of many diseases, if you have heart disease or diabetes, you have inflammation. If you have arthritis, you have inflammation. If you feel any pain in your body, bloated, headaches, or are prone to infections then yes, you guessed it, you have inflammation in your body.

So what to do? Well I have blogged about the best antiinflammatory diet in the past. Today I will share the best, the one most fabulous helpful hint that I have in my kitchen. This recipe can change your inflamed life and bring you back into balance!

Recipe:

1 cup sprouted flax powder

1 tsp black pepper

1 tsp turmeric

1 tsp ginger powder

In a spice shaker or well-sealed glass container place the following super potent anti-inflammatory nutrients and sprinkle away your inflammation at every meal. The flax seeds provide beneficial anti-inflammatory omega-3 fatty acids and are also fabulous for maintaining normal cholesterol and blood sugar levels. Also because of their high fiber content they will also ensure regularity.If you grind flax seeds fresh, the oils, once exposed to oxygen, will go rancid quickly. I choose sprouted flax seeds because they are nutritional more bioavailable, beneficial and the oils are preserved better because of the dehydration process.

As for turmeric and ginger, these two herbs are the powerhouses when it comes to calming inflammation in the body. These herbs need to be present in every kitchen! Black pepper is added to the recipe to potentiate the absorption and super health benefits of the turmeric.

So sprinkle away and move towards optimal health, a longer life and much less inflammation!

www.flackers.com

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/andrew-weil-md/turmeric-health-have-a-happy-new-year_b_798328.html