Tag: health

Toxic build-up

Today’s post is about Toxic build-up and the human body.

First, what is a toxin?

Scientists and doctors don’t have a clear definition of a toxin. They can be the waste products that our body naturally produces, like carbon dioxide. They can also be environmental contaminants which include physical, chemical and biological pollutants and organisms.

We are surrounded by thousands of industrial chemicals. They are in our air, food, water and household products. They come from pesticides, herbicides, smoke, flame retardants (chemicals that make things resistant to fire), and other chemicals used in factories.

We are exposed to these chemicals or toxins on a daily basis. They are in cleaning products, processed, non-organic foods, and food additives. There are also chemicals in personal care products and cosmetics, common kitchen items such as plastic food wraps, containers and non-stick surfaces.

Many of these chemicals have been tested for safety. However, not much is known about the long-term health effects. We know even less about mixtures of these chemicals. What is known is that some of them, like persistent organic pollutants (POPs), have been connected with heart disease, cancer, hormonal problems, growth problems for children, and brain problems.

Is it real or just hype?

It is real. Scientists at the U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) sampled a number of people living in the United States. Their research revealed that every person in the United States has small amounts of chemicals in their bodies. They even found 200 industrial chemicals, pollutants, and pesticides in newborns. These were absorbed during pregnancy and then via breast milk.

This is what many health practitioners, nutritionists and dietitian’s call ‘toxic build-up’.

This build-up can interfere with our body’s ability to heal itself, therefore compromising the immune system.

How do we get rid of toxins?

Our body has built-in ways to remove toxins. For example, our body produces carbon dioxide when it converts food to energy. Carbon dioxide is a waste product or toxin, and we get rid of it by breathing it out. Other organs that help remove toxins include the liver, skin, kidneys, intestines, lymph nodes, and blood vessels. In addition to breathing out, we remove toxic products through urine, feces, and sweating.

What about a ‘detox’?

Historically people used fasts, saunas, leaches, and practiced bloodletting to ‘purify’ or ‘detox’ their body. There have been only a small number of studies on “detoxification” programs in people. While some have had positive results on weight and fat loss, insulin resistance, and blood pressure, the studies themselves have been of low quality.

There have been no studies on long-term effects of “detoxification” programs.

However, there are ways to reduce our exposure. Studies have shown that when changes are made to diet and lifestyle, reducing the absorption of toxins, the body can more effectively remove them. This is a way of ‘detoxing’.

Reducing intake of processed foods and alcohol, eating fresh, organic produce. Use natural cleaning products. Consider the ingredients in the products you put on our skin, because much of what goes ON you ends up going IN you.

 

We also did a bit of our own research and found that in Australia there are several different regulatory standards, depending on how the product is classified.

The one common standard in Australia, the US and the EU that we could find is ‘skincare and cosmetics must have a list of ingredients on the label, regardless of whether it is toxic or not.’

So, take the time to read labels and make yourself familiar with the most common nasties. By buying smarter, you can reduce the toxin load on your body, helping it to work better and keeping you in better health.

Till the next post,

Live Clean and Prosper

Sources – U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention – National Library of Medicine – University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Medicine and Public Health

 

A bit about Collagen

Today’s post is about collagen.

The health and beauty market is full of references to collagen, whether targeting joint health, better skin or stronger bones. We recently had a question about this protein from a friend who was trying to understand all the marketing hype. So, we have done some research and as always, we are sharing what we have discovered.

To start with, what is collagen?

It is the main structural protein in the large network of proteins and other molecules that surround, support, and give structure to cells and tissues in the body. As the main component of connective tissue, it is mostly found in connective tissue such as cartilage, bones, tendons, ligaments, and skin.

There are actually 28 types of collagens found in the body, however, it is Collagen type 1 that makes up more than 90% of the body’s collagen. Vitamin C is vital for it’s manufacture, while Vitamin E improves its production.

As human beings grow older, their synthesis of collagen decreases and the tissues will become thinner, weaker and less flexible.

Does ingesting collagen help?

One common misconception is that any ingested collagen forms the building blocks for collagen in the body. Studies have shown that only certain fragments – known as bioactive collagen peptides (BCP) – stimulate the body to produce more collagen in a target organ.

Bioactive peptides are formed by breaking down native collagen into smaller molecules. These smaller molecules are quickly digested by the body and can therefore enter the bloodstream.

Interestingly, Gelatine is a protein derived from the partial break down of collagen found in animal skin, tendon, and bones. Making it a potential bioactive collagen peptide.

Will diet help?

Eating foods that are high in collagen will also encourage your body to produce more of it. It is naturally present in various animal and plant products. Some of the best sources of collagen include: bone broth, fish (especially with edible bones and skin such as salmon and sardines) chicken, eggs, berries and citrus fruits. Interestingly, these foods are also high in vitamins C & E, which are essential for its production.

This brings us to supplements

According to study, for collagen peptides (BCP) that can be easily absorbed and used by our body, the most suitable type is one in powder or liquid form. When we ingest this type via food, it reaches the bloodstream that will be used by the body in a very short time. It has a high bioavailability and is therefore the better option.

A supplement in a tablet or capsule form has lower bioavailability than the others. They take longer to break down making it more difficult for the collagen in the capsule to be digested in our stomach and to completely enter the bloodstream. Capsules also have other disadvantages. Although it may seem easy to use, it can actually be misleading. Due to the fillers and coatings, you may need to swallow 10-20 of these capsules a day to get the daily amount of collagen you need.

When it comes to adding collagen to coffee, casseroles or soups, the biggest issue may be the influence of higher temperatures on the supplement’s quality. Proteins generally start to break down when exposed to high temperatures or acidic and alkaline solutions. At this time, the protein may no longer work properly, rendering the supplement ineffective. One research found that when collagen proteins were exposed to high temperatures, their initial breakdown occurred at 150 C (302 F).

As a result, as long as the temperature of your coffee, casserole or soup is below 150 C (302 F) when you add your collagen supplement, the powder’s quality should be unaffected.

The take away from this information

Collagen supplements are designed to protect the users’ skin, hair, nails and body tissues by stimulating production. Supplementing can increase lean muscle gain, decrease recovery time, rebuild damaged joint structure, and boost cardiovascular performance

As to which product to use, this is where reading the label comes into play. The product with the most collagen peptides per serve will provide the most benefit.

We hope you have found this article interesting.

 

Till the next post,

Live clean n Prosper

Sources – Nutrition Insight -Journal of Pharmaceutical Technology – Wikipedia –

A bit about Light Therapy

Today’s post is about light therapy.

In the past couple of years, red light therapy including infrared saunas and LED light masks have been in the media. These different light treatments are meant to help us with everything from wrinkles to back pain.

We decided to research these different light treatments and see if they are worth the hype.

For ideal health, we humans require regular exposure to light! A great example is Vitamin D which comes from sunlight. The sun’s rays include the more commonly known ultraviolet light (UV), but more than half of its output is infrared. When it comes to visible light, violet coloured light produces the most energy and red coloured light provides the least.

So, what is red light therapy

Red light therapy involves having low-power red light wavelengths emitted directly through the skin, although this process cannot be felt and isn’t painful because it doesn’t produce any heat. Red light can be absorbed into the skin to a depth of about eight to 10 millimetres, at which point it has positive effects on cellular energy and multiple nervous system and metabolic processes.

Through emitting red, low-light wavelengths through the skin, red light therapy may naturally jump-start the process of tissue recovery and other forms of rejuvenation. It’s believed to work in such ways as increasing blood flow and stimulating collagen production.

Clinical studies show that red light therapies have certain healing capabilities and medical applications, due to the way they positively affect the human endocrine and immune systems.

There are many different types of red-light therapy devices, some of which can be used at home. But home devices are usually less powerful than those used in clinics and may be less effective or take longer to work.

What about an infrared (IR)sauna?

This type of sauna uses a different kind of red light.

Infrared light is invisible and is effective for use on the surface of the skin as well as penetration of about 1.5 inches into the body. The wavelength infrared puts out is longer than the wavelength of red light, which allows it to penetrate more deeply into the body.

The longer the wavelength, the deeper the penetration. Consequently, IR light provides some similar, but some completely different benefits than red light.

An infrared sauna is a type of sauna that uses light to make heat. A regular sauna uses heat to warm the air, which in turn warms your body. An infrared sauna heats your body directly without warming the air around you. It is safe because all humans produce IR and it is easily absorbed by our tissues.

When IR enters the body, it breaks up fats and toxins that are trapped in water molecules, it makes us sweat to let them out.

And LED light masks

Light-emitting diodes (LEDs) lights have been around since the 1960s but have only recently been used as a skin treatment.

Using the LED technology to create light weight masks enables people to use light therapy  in the home. However, these are not medical-grade products. They aren’t as strong, so while there is some benefit, there won’t be the same result as a professional treatment.

‌The masks use different wavelengths of the visible light spectrum to penetrate the skin to different depths. Depending on how deeply they penetrate, will determine which of the skin’s natural healing processes are triggered.

Red and blue lights are typically used in LED skin treatments. Experts believe that red LED light acts on cells in the skin known as fibroblasts, which play a role in production of collagen. Blue LED light is most often used to treat acne.

According to research, LED light therapy has an excellent safety profile. It does not contain UV rays, which can be harmful to the skin.

Unlike chemical peels or laser therapy, LED light therapy does not cause burns. Therefore, LED therapy is considered suitable for regular use. Which is important, as usually several treatments are necessary to see results.

However, more research is needed to confirm that these lights are truly effective and that they produce lasting results.

Hopefully you have found this information interesting.

Till the next post,

Live clean n prosper

Sources – National Library of Medicine – Harvard Health Publishing – Mayo Clinic – Web MD –