Constance Joy Hart

Dr of Naturopathy

Naturopathy takes the approach of dealing with the underlying cause of symptoms

themselves. Through different modalities a Naturopath can learn about what is happening

in your body. You can then get educated on ways you can make choices to alter the

imbalances imposed by toxins which have accumulated in your body.

 

Basic Plan for Healthy Living:
1. Breathing                                                                    
2. Water                                                               
3. Good Food (organic, no junk or chemicals)                 
4. Ph balance                                                                            
5. Digestion                                                                                
6. Elimination                                                                                                           
7. Essential Fatty Acids                                                                                               

8. Natural Hygiene   

9. Exercise     

10. Rest

 

 Other:

     Sunshine     

     Full spectrum lighting

     Positive attitude  

     Gratitude      

     Forgiveness 

 

Things to Avoid to help your body function at its best:
Excitotoxins (artificial sweeteners)
Microwaved food                                            
Antibiotics                                                        
Flouride                                                           
Vaccines/Flu shots                                            
Indoor/outdoor air pollution                              
Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) in foods
EMFs (electro-magnetic frequencies)
Toxic Home
Plastics (ie plastic containers)
Bad fats: trans fats, fat replacers

 

 

 

 

1. Breathing - Learning to breathe properly is the single most important skill you will learn for helping to maintain a healthy abdominal tone. This is because the abdomen is the only part of the body that is not supported by a bony structure. This allows freedom of movement, to bend, but it also makes this area of the body the most susceptible to the stress of gravity and the effects of time and aging. When scared or upset the tendancy is to stifle the breath creating a numbing sensation shutting off awareness in the body. Repeated stress continually contracts the abdominal area, making less space for the abdominal organs so they are repeatedly pushed outward causing the belly to protrude. 

Breathing is also essential to lymphatic flow. Deep breathing moves lympth to reduce inflammation and abdominal swelling caused by our exposure to the many irritants and chemicals in our diets. It also supplies more oxygen to our bloodstream. When we breathe deeply old emotional wounds have a chance to heal. Emotional states are maintained by breath patterns. Each basic emotional pattern: fear, joy, excitement, anger, sorrow, pleasure, etc has a breathing pattern associated with it. As we block, stuff or otherwise suppress our emotions, we also learn to stifle our breath. By freeing our breath, we learn to let go of these old emotional issues. Shallow breathing stifles emotions and energy, and we are more prone to depression, anxiety, fear, worry, shame and guilt. It also slows metabolism, reduces lymphatic flow and oxygen to the cells. Poor lymphatic flow also results in toxic congestion in our cells and more rapid aging process. 

2. Water - Our bodies are made up primarily of water. When we do not drink enough pure water on a daily basis we become dehydrated causing many problems including constipation. If we do not drink enough water our body cannot flush out toxins that are accumulated due to the daily ingestion, absorption or inhalation of the many chemicals we come in contact with every day. To determine your daily water intake needs take your body weight in pounds, divide it by 2 and that number in ounces is the minumum amount necessary per day.  Example: 100 lbs body weight / 2 = 50 lbs --> you would need 50 ounces of water a day. 

3. Good Food- Without proper digestion the best of food is wasted (see 5. Digestion)
Foods that benefit your body:
 - Raw fruits and vegetables; ideally lunch and dinner should be 1/2 vegetables.
 - Whole grains
 - Cold pressed vegetable oils
 - Fresh juices (not to be confused with canned, frozen, or reconstituted.
 - High fiber foods
 - Meats from certified chemical free, hormone free, antibiotic free growers. Proper protein portion is the size of palm of your hand 1" thick.

It is best to keep meals simple. The stomach has a hard time dealing with a large variety of foods at the same time. Best to eat fruit alone and save rich sauces for special occasions. Try for at least 2 servings of FRESH fruit daily. The fruit is needed to cleanse the body. Whole fruit better since it contains fiber. Beware of juice with added nutrients. You should get your calcium out of your vegetables, not your orange juice. Fruit is best eaten alone.

You should attempt to eat at least 5 servings of vegetables a day. This should be at least 1/2 cup servings and be a rainbow of colors, because each color group contains different nutrients. 

A good rule of thumb for protein is to divide your body weight by 3. This is the minimum number of grams of protein needed daily (ie weight = 150, protein needed = 50 grams). The average 3 oz serving of meat or fish is 25 grams. 1 oz of raw nuts is 20 grams. Nuts digest easiest if they are raw and soaked in plain water for 8 hours and drained before eating them. This deactivates the enzyme inhibitor in the skins that makes them hard to digest. Dark green vegetables, beans, legumes, whey, kefir and yogurt should be the primary source of protein, not meat or dairy products. If you are going to eat meat, eat kosher meats which are range fed, organic without harmful hormones, antibiotics, and steroids. I recommend goat milk and cheeses instead of cow - much easier to digest and can avoid a multitude of allergies including eczema.
 
Grains are important, but not refried grains. Grains should be complex whole foods which mean they should not be white. Rice and wheat are brown, the colored part is what cleans and moves the bowel. Average carbohydrate intake should be around 100 grams daily.

If you burn a lot of calories while working or exercising heavily, the numbers will need to be adjusted. If gaining weight, modify the carbohydrate intake.

Keep mealtimes positive. If you usually eat on the run, choose to sit down and turn off the television or radio. Don't allow your thoughts to be occupied with worry, irritation or uncertainty. Focus on your meal and on thoughts.

 

Foods to limit or avoid for best health:
 - Refined foods - white flour, white rice, refined grains of any sort.
 - Refined sugars - this can be refined sugar, fructose, honey or any other processed sweetener.
 - Artificial sweeteners, see "excitotoxins" on this webpage
 - Over cooked foods - enzymes that help digest foods are destroyed when the food is cooked at high heat.
 - Carbonated drinks - the hydrogen gas in soda as well as the increased phosphates leach minerals from the body, especially calcium.
 - Caffeinated beverages - the caffeine is a major stress on the glandular system. It also makes the body acid and promotes disease growth.
 - Foods not labeled as Certified Organic

Avoid processed or manufactured foods filled with chemicals, additives, or preservatives. Rule of thumb, if you can't pronounce something in the ingredient list, or it has numbers or hyphens in it, the item is a toxic additive or preservative. 

4.ph Balance

pH is the acidity or alkalinity in your body. What we eat either raises or lowers our body pH level. Processed foods, fast foods and junk foods create an acidic condition in our bodies that invite imbalances. For example, cancer does not live well in an alkaline environment but flourishes in an acidic one. Our blood pH level has to be maintained at approximately 7.0. Our urine pH should be at 6.3 - 6.6. A soft drink such as a cola has a pH of 2.7 - 3.0, which is extremely acidic. A softdrink with a pH of 3.0 is going to have a much higher pH after it has passed through your body; it is going to have close to a pH of 6.5 or higher. It reached that level by stealing precious minerals and fluids from your body. Putting soft drinks and other high acid foods in your body lowers your body's pH making it more acidic, thus more susceptible to disease. It does not give you the disease, it creates the environment for any disease that comes along to take a foothold. Our bodies are not designed to fight disease with low pH levels.

What you can do: 

The first thing is to monitor your pH levels and see how your body is handling the foods you are eating. Using a pH test strip, take a midstream urine pH test the first thing in the morning before eating or drinking. Your pH level should be about 6.0 which is acidic (after detoxing all night, this is a good sign). Then take it again mid-afternoon. If you are eating good food that your body is able to digest correctly, your pH level should come back up to the 6.3 - 6.6 range. If your pH is 6.8 or higher, this means your body is loosing calcium from the bone to neutralize the acid and you need to make some changes in your lifestyle (ie lowering the amount of meat you eat, stop eating junk foods/sodas, and increase the fruits and vegetables).  

5.Digestion

Digestion is the reason that nutrition works. Without proper digestion the best of food is wasted. 

Digestion begins in the mouth:

• One job of the mouth is to that of breaking food into smaller pieces. 

• Starch begins the digestive process in the mouth, where enzymes break it down into sugars. 

• Stress, drinking with meals (especially ice in drinks) and improper chewing impede proper digestion. 

The next step is the Stomach:

• Proteins and fats begin their digestion in the stomach. 

• Starches continue to be digested here if the conditions are proper. 

• Minerals in foods are being prepared for absorption in the small intestines. It is the Hydrochloric acid in the stomach that does this job. 

On to the Small Intestines:

• Pancreatic enzymes make protein and minerals available here. 

• Most nutrient absorption occurs here, provided that the proper chemical reactions have occurred in previous steps. 

• Bile from the liver and gallbladder enters here to digest fats. 

Off to the Large Intestines:
The large intestines are thought of most frequently as the waste collection area. However the large intestines has the job of holding waste until enough water is reabsorbed to hydrate the body. Constipation is often a sign of dehydration. If the waste doesn't keep moving and exit the body, the toxins will reabsorb and recirculate to places you don't want them to go (ie through your blood, to your cells).

Elimination of waste makes room for absorption of nutrients:
The body has four exit doors for waste: Bowel, Kidneys, Lungs and Skin.
All routes of elimination of waste need proper hydration to function at peak performance.

See Foods to avoid for best health, and Foods that benefit your body in Section 3. Good Food.

 

Enzymes:

We loose enzymes every day through our sweat, urine, feces and through all digestive fluids, including salivary and intestinal secretions. Enzymes are found in every tissue of our body. A percentage of enzymes which are taken orally, or the ones already present in raw food, can be absorbed in the intestines and utilized in the body's metabolic processes to help prevent enzyme depletion. If we would take enzymes from outside sources, our enzyme reserve would not be depleted at such a rapid pace. This would keep our metabolic enzymes more evenly distributed throughout our body. This is one of the most health-promoting measures that one could implement into his or her daily lifestyle.

Enzymes can be divided into two groups: exogenous (found in raw foods), and endogenous (produced within our bodies). The more one gets of the exogenous enzymes, the less will have to be borrowed from other metabolic processes and supplied by the pancreas. The enzymes contained in raw food actually aid in digestion of that food when it is chewed. One can live for many years on a cooked food diet but eventually this kind of diet will cause cellular enzyme exhaustion, which lays the foundation for a weak immune system and ultimately, disease.

Cooked food with the fiber broken down passes through the digestiv system more slowly than raw foods. Partially it ferments, rots, putrfies, throwing back into the body toxins, gas, and causing heartburn and degenerative diseases.

Any time the metabolism is falsely stimulated by coffee, a high protein diet, or other stimulants, the metabolism increases, enzymes are used up, a false energy output is experienced, and the individual feels a sense of well being. However, the end result will be lower energy, a more rapid burnout of enzymes, and premature old age. 

6.Elimination

For every meal you eat, you should have a bowel movement. Look at newborn babies - they eliminate each time after they eat. A healthy bowel movement should be as big around as the hole made by your index finger placed against the first joint of your thumb, be as long as your forearm - between wrist and the elbow, look like a log, not sausages, float and not smell, and you should have one for each meal you ate the previous day. If you  are not eliminating regularly you are constipated.

Fiber facts:
 

• a healthy lifestyle should contain soluble and insoluble fiber 

• it is a fact that lifestyles high in fiber encourage growth of anti-cancer bacteria 

• bulk dilutes the cancer causing substances and speeds them through the digestive tract giving these substances less time to do deadly work. 

• added fiber helps prevent digestive diseases by contributing to bowel cleansing 

• insoluble fiber is for the intestinal system 

• soluble fiber helps regulate blood sugar, blood pressure and is known to aid in weight management. 

• fiber slows digestion and makes you feel better 

• increased dietary fiber does not dissolve in water, but instead absorbs water, causing bulk, to speed food through the intestines 

• fiber is a safe natural laxative, and can be taken long term without side effects 

• it is recommended to consume 25-35 grams of fiber daily from varied sources 

• the average American consumes only 8-11 grams of fiber daily 

• Dietary fiber is only found in plant foods, highest fiber foods are whole grain cereals followed by legumes, root vegetables then fruits 

• If your stool floats chances are your diet has a healthy amount of fiber 

• When you eat adequate amounts of fiber, you must have adequate water intake to prevent constipation. 

 

Colon Cleansing

There are many cleanses out there, including Colon Hydrotherapy, or Colonics.

One of the better cleanses to do on your own is the Ivy Bridges Cocktail. This is done every day until the colon is cleansed and the bowels move freely. One word of caution, if using the cascara sagrada for the first time and there is a great deal of build up, there can be some bowel cramping initially as the impacted bowel breaks loose.
Mix together and drink:
4-6 oz apple juice (preferably organic)
2 Tablespoons  Aloe Vera Juice
2 Tablespoons  Chlorophyll
1 Tablespoon Fiber of choice (make sure no artificial sweeteners)
While taking:
1-2 cascara sagrada
2-3 Probiotic 
2 Food Enzymes

 

 

Dry Skin Brushing

The elimination organs are always to be considered when working with the reversal process and regeneration of the body. The skin is the largest elimination organ of the body, therefore, it is important to stimulate it to work properly. Skin brushing helps the skin to eliminate properly. No soap can wash the skin as clean as the new skin under the old. The skin will be as clean as the blood is. The body makes new skin every 24 hours.

Skin brushing removes the top layer of skin, this helps to eliminate uric acid crystals, catarrh and various other acids in the body. The skin should eliminate two pounds of waste acids daily. To achieve this, the skin needs to be kept active. No one can achieve this wearing clothes unless they brush their skin.

To brush the skin, use a natural bristle body brush. This is not an expensive brush. Do not use nylon bristles or mesh balls. Use the brush dry, first thing in the morning when you arise, before putting on clothes and before bathing. Use all over the body except for the face. Start at the extremities and work toward the heart. To brush the face, use one of the small natural bristle face brushes. 


7.Essential Fatty Acids (EFAs)

A requirement for healthy functioning body systems: Omega-3 fatty acids (flaxseed, canola, walnut, soybean, fish oil), Omega-6 fatty acids (sunflower oil, Evening Primrose oil, corn oil , borage oil, olive oil).

Some do's and don'ts concerning fats:

Do consume optimal amount of fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E and K
Do eat at least one whole egg, preferably organic, a day if you are not allergic to them.
Do consume optimal amounts of omega-3 fatty acids (flaxseed, canola, walnut, soybean, fish oil)
Do limit excess omega-6 fatty acids (sunflower oil, Evening Primrose oil, corn oil , borage oil, olive oil)
Do include coconut oil or products made with desiccated or whole coconut
Do include some fats in your diet from natural meats or eggs (unless you are raw or vegetarian)
Don't fear cholesterol. Cholesterol is the body's repair substance and is needed for proper brain function and hormone balance.
Don't fear saturated fats. Saturated fatty acids are the body's natural fats, which are used for appropriately functioning cell membranes and for critical energy in important organs such as the heart and other muscles.
Don't use only one fat or oil excusively. Fats and oils are different from each other and you need a variety of fatty acids found in a variety of fats and oils.
Don't save oils that have become rancid even if they were expensive. Rancid fats and oils are dangerous to consume: throw them away.
Don't consume any products containing partially hydrogenated vegetable fats and oils: they contain the Trans fatty acids, which have been identified as the major nutritional cause of coronary heart disease. 


8.Natural Hygiene

Skin, hair, and nail care products - including cosmetics, shampoos, perfumes, soaps, shaving cream, suntan lotion, and antibacterial soaps - can do more harm than good. They destroy the skin's natural pH by introducing dangerous toxins to the body. Consider how some of these common products can affect your health:

Hair-coloring products - particularly brown and black colors, are associated with increased incidence of Hodgkin's lymphoma, multiple myeloma, Hodgkin's disease, and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. Also avoid products containing DEA or TEA - these ingredients often contain carcinogens.
Fragrance - manufacturers routinely use as many as 884 toxic substances in the creation of perfumes. Toluene, a neurotoxic substance that triggers asthma attacks and even causes asthma in some people,was found in every fragrance sample tested by the EPA in 1991. 
Many of the most common ingredients in shampoos break down into formaldehyde.
Most antibacterial soaps contain triclosan, which can be absorbed through the skin and pose a risk to the liver. Plenty of regular soap, sufficiently heated running water, and thorough scrubbing will do the job just as well with no side effects.

The general rule is - don't put anything on your skin that you wouldn't put in your mouth. It all absorbs and gets into your bloodstream.  
 

 

9.Excercise

Everybody knows how important it is to get excercise - both for energizing your body and lifting your spirits through the release of endorphins. The aerobic benefits for burning calories and loosing weight are secondary to how important it is for moving your lymphatic system (which clears out the toxins), and circulatory system. It efficiently brings oxygen into your system, which is so important for ridding your body of excess yeast and revitalizing your blood to bring life to every cell in your body.

One of the best overall excercises there is - rebounding. You can use a portable mini-trampoline to jog, jump, hop, twist or step-walk in place. According to James White, Ph.D, Director of Research and Rehabilitation in the Physical Education Department of the University of California at San Diego (UCSD), "When you jump, jog, and twist on this [rebounder] device, you can exercise for hours without getting tired. It's great practice for skiing, it improves you tennis stroke, and it's a good way to burn off calories and lose weight." Dr. White believes it is more effective for fitness and weight loss than cycling, running, or jogging, and it produces fewer injuries. (Note: there are warnings from back surgeons on develping spines - that this is not the best excercise for children, and may lead to back injuries for them.)

Rebounding is safe and fun for almost anyone (adults). It is good for the lymphatic system, the circulatory system, and the spine, all while sparing your joints and ligaments unnecessary strain. If you are unsteady on your feet, many rebounders can be fitted with a bar to hold onto.

Whatever you choose - get some "fun, sweaty activity" into your life. Dancing, volley ball, walks in the park - whatever's your thing! 

10.Rest 

Experts agree that the majority of people require eight hours of sleep each night. Your body is detoxifying during the hours of 7:00 pm and 7:00 am regardless of when you are actually sleeping. This is when your body most benefits from rest, so that your organs can be the most efficient in these processes of eliminating the toxins from your tissues. Most Americans get less than 7-8 hours of sleep each night. If you are struggling with sleep, chances are that your health is already impaired.

What you can do to help you sleep:
 

• Avoid before-bed snacks, particularly grains and sugar. This raises blood sugar and inhibits sleep. Later, when blood sugar drops too low (hypoglycemia), you might wake up and not be able to fall back asleep.

• Sleep in complete darkness or as close as possible. If there is even the tiniest bit of light in the room it can disrupt your circadian rhythm and your pineal gland's production of melatonin and serotonin.

• Wear socks to bed. Due to the fact that they have the poorest circulation, the feet often feel cold before the rest of the body. A study has shown that wearing socks reduces night waking.

• Get to bed as early as possible. Our systems, particularly the adrenals, do a majority of their recharging or recovering during the  hours of 10:00 pm and 1:00 am.

• Keep the temperature in the bedroom no higher than 70 degrees F. many people keep their homes and particularly the upstairs bedrooms too hot.

• Eat a high protein snack several hours before bed. this can provide the L-tryptophan needed to produce melatonin and serotonin.

• Be sure to get enought physical exercise during the day. Try varying the kinds of exercise you do, their intensity or when you exercise.

• Avoid drinking coffee, caffeine containing beverages and chocolate. These all act as stimulants which can interrupt sleep patterns and increase morning lows. Even if they are consumed early in the day, they can disrupt sleep and make the next morning harder to negotiate.

• Don't watch TV or look at a computer screen late at night. Some people are photosensitive and watching the TV keeps their melatonin from rising and inducing sleep.