To Cleanse or Not to Cleanse, That is the Question
Welcome back to my quarterly newsletter.
This month, I'd like to address a question I get frequently in practice at this time of year: to detox or not to detox?
Recently, The Wall Street Journal ran an article that weighed the pros and cons of juice cleanses, among other ways of detoxifying the body. A number of esteemed experts were interviewed who essentially said that detoxification isn't necessary because we already have efficient cleaners of the body: the liver, kidneys and colon.
I tend to agree that the body is perfectly capable of cleaning itself. And I don't like juice cleanses either. They're too short to effect change, are typically high in sugar and lack real food that the body needs to work efficiently.
But the human body wasn't designed to deal with the onslaught of stuff we, in modern life, subject our bodies to: heavy metals; bisphenol A; pesticides that coat our fruits and vegetables; hormones in our meat, milk and eggs; pharmaceutical residue and TK in our water; large amounts of alcohol , caffeine and sugar. Not to mention the negative effect stress and lack of sleep has on our organs' ability to work.
My top three reasons to detox, specifically with the Standard Process Purification, which I've led hundreds of patients through:
1) It gives your body a break. Don't you need a bit of pampering and vacation every so often? So do your organs.
3) You'll feel great because your liver function will improve. You will: lose weight, have more energy, crave less, sleep better, have less gas and bloat, feel happier and calmer. These things, I can guarantee.
Talk to me about starting the SP Purification this month.
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Health News You Need To Know
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Mood: A Spice To Treat Depression
What: Curcumin, the active extracted form of the medicinal plant turmeric, has been hailed in studies for its numerous health-giving properties, from brain and liver health to its efficacy as an anti-inflammatory. Now, a new study shows that it improves mood in those suffering from depression-even as effectively as Prozac (without the side effects).
Recommendation: We all know and love turmeric in curries, but throw a tablespoon in your morning smoothie or mix it into dressing for your lunch salad. For the real mood-boosting benefits, try 1000 mg of curcumin capsules each day.
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 Weight Loss: Another Reason to Love Melatonin
What: A recent animal study showed that a daily dose of melatonin prevented obesity, suggesting that it has fat-burning properties.
Recommendation: As the weather warms up (hopefully) and clothes start to shed, dropping a few of the pesky winter pounds might be on your to-do list. Adding a few milligrams of melatonin at night could help, and promote a more restful sleep while you're at it, which also helps regulate metabolism.
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Autism: Vitamin D Ameliorates Symptoms Related to Hormone Deficiency
What: Low levels of both s erotonin and vitamin D have been proposed to play a role in autism, however, no causal mechanism has been established. Now, researchers show that serotonin, oxytocin, and vasopressin, three brain hormones that are deficient in people with autism, are all activated by vitamin D hormone.
Recommendation: To boost brain serotonin concentration and help decrease symptoms associated with ASD without side effects, take daily doses of vitamin D, tryptophan and omega 3 fatty acids. Prenatally, vitamin D supplementation is also essential.
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Huffington Post Blog: A Candida Cure
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I love talking about the gut and it seems I can't stop writing about it either. So much of our health begins there. Candidiasis sufferers make up a big part of my practice. Candida overgrowth is often connected with weight gain, eczema, depression, acne, chronic fatigue...and just plain discomfort and irritability. I see this so much in practice that odds are, if you're my patient, you're familiar with the symptoms: gas, bloating, abdominal pain, itchiness, irregular bowel movements, and food cravings among other things. This is one of my favorite things to treat not only because it is so treatable but because once someone is free from candida overgrowth, life really does feel a lot better. Head on over to the Huffington Post to see how I got one candidiasis sufferer better. |
 Fitbit Last year, I received this as a gift and have become a little obsessed with it ever since, buying them for members of my family and not leaving home without it in my pocket. Why do I love it so much? For an information junkie like myself, it's great: it tracks your steps, miles you've walked, calories burned. It tracks your progress in an app where you can see how your friends and family are doing; there's even an option to 'taunt' or 'cheer' your pals. Sync the Fitbit app with the My Fitness Pal app to take obsessive information gathering about yourself to another level. |
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Wonder What Craniosacral Therapy Is All About?
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I really believe in the power of hands-on healing. So much so, that I want you to really experience it for yourself. I'm offering 30-minute sessions of CST for $49 (typically $125) until the end of April. Come find out why people say these things about CST:
"After a few CST treatments, my migraines were gone. Thank you."
"Weekly sessions with Dr. Maura have helped my autistic child with all of his nervous symptoms. We'll never stop."
"I get weekly CST tuneups with Dr. Maura, which help me feel calmer, sleep more deeply and my digestion has never been better."
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