Safe Detox For kids

As parents, we instinctively want to protect our children from anything dangerous. Many of us choose foods that will strengthen their bodies, avoid synthetic chemicals, and turn to natural remedies and herbs instead of prescription medications. Even with these precautions, though, is it possible that our children’s systems still need to be detoxed?

Wherever you’re at in your parenting journey, hopefully, you’ll find this information useful for helping your kids be as healthy as possible.

When it comes to children, it’s unneccesary to purge their bodies of toxins quickly as this can lead to problems (as it can with adults too). Instead, a gentle approach is best with children.

Some Cautions

As always, there are some things you need to know anytime you take herbs. All herbs can have a postitive affect on the body, but those effects can also be problematic, depending on the situation. This is why it’s best for you to do some reasearch on individual herbs to see what these affects are and if it’s an appropriate time for you or your child to take them.

#1 – Children’s Liver Protecting Tea

Ingredients:

• 1 teaspoon dandelion root
• 1 teaspoon milk thistle  root 
• 1 teaspoon licorice root
• 15 ounces boiled water

Directions:

1. Place herbs in a tea strainer. 
2. Pour water over herbs, and let herbs simmer gently for 10-15 minutes. 
3. Remove strainer. Compost herbs. Sweeten tea as desired.

Tea Dosing For Children

Be sure to adjust the dosage based on your child’s age or weight. I’ve used Freid’s rule here which is the child’s age in months, divided by 150, then multiplied by the adult dose which is 8-ounces. I’ve also given some examples of what that dosage looks like for different ages below.

• 1-year-old – .6 ounces tea
• 3-year-old – 2 ounces tea
• 5-year-old – 3 ounces tea
• 7-year-old – 4.5 ounces tea
• 10-year-old – 6.5 ounces tea

Is Iodine affecting your fertility?

Iodine is best known for its role in thyroid function. It helps the synthesis of the thyroid hormones T4 (thyroxine) and T3 (triiodothyronine). T4 and T3 play an important role in the body's control of metabolism. Low levels of iodine intake are thought to create a cascading series of hormone changes that lead to a hyper-estrogen state, which is linked to poor ovarian, endometrial, depression and breast health.

   Iodine deficiency can cause infertility in women and men. Iodine deficiency can lead to lack of ovulation, micarriage, pre-eclampsia during pregnancy, stillborn, hormonal imbalance and menstrual irregularities. If your thyroid is functioning at 10% you can have a 80% miscarriage rate. Many physicians only test your TSH (thyroidstimulating hormone) levels. But there are three thyroid tests you can do: T3, T4 and thyroid antibodies. (Iodine is a component of thyroid hormones.) Some studies show that if your thyroid isn’t working properly, it can be more difficult to get pregnant and maintain a pregnancy.

   During my infertility journey, I found out I was lacking in folic acid and iodine. Are you having enough iodine? 

Iodine is also extremely important to take 90 days before conception. You must take iodine before the 90 day period before conception. conception because iodine forces out toxic bromine. Therefore, bromine can substitute for iodine where the body uses iodine. This is not good because then this toxic bromine when used instead of iodine messes up the body. 

When you first take iodine bro toxic bromine is forced out of the tissues and people get sick from bromine. This temporary detox reaction is blamed on iodine mistakenly. But it is not iodine that is causing the problem. It is bromine that is causing the problem.

Iodine pushing out toxic bromine can cause a rash, acne, hair falling out, emotionality, sinus draining, coughing, mouth and tongue sores, tingling in twitching hands and feet, urination, vision changes, and many other side effects. The most common side effect is vivid dreams. The most worrisome side effect is a sore thyroid. This indicates thyroid cells breaking up. The inside of the thyroid cells may induce a Hashimoto's thyroiditis. Therefore, it is extremely important to start off with small amounts of iodine and work your way up gradually. I like to start with 3 mg per day of iodine or less and increase 5 mg per day every one to two weeks. You should work your way up to 50 mg per day for three months. Then, cut back to 10 mg per day for maintenance.

we need less than one teaspoon of iodine for proper health and development. Since the body cannot store iodine, you need to eat a little bit of it every day. Excess consumption of iodine can also inhibit the synthesis of thyroid hormones, leading to hyperthyroidism, thyroid papillary cancer and iodermia.

Best sources of Iodine:

As always we prefer using food sources before supplementing.


**** Start small before using a iodine supplement and test your thyroid before. When your thyroid is in failure and you start taking kelp supplements, you can literally shut down your thyroid. So avoid kelp!**

1. Iodized Salt:

Iodized salt is the main source of iodine in our diet. Iodized salt consists of table salt combined with minuscule amounts of iodine containing salts. Just one gram of salt provides the body with 77 micrograms of iodine and 0 calories.

2. Sea Vegetables:

Sea vegetables contain excellent sources of iodine. Kelp contains the highest amount of iodine than any other food on this planet. One serving of kelp contains around 2000 micrograms of iodine while one tablespoon of arame contains 730 micrograms of iodine. Wakame is another excellent source of iodine with one tablespoon providing 80 micrograms of iodine.

Again avoid kelp. 

3. Baked Potato:

Baked potatoes are another great source of iodine. A medium sized baked potato provides 60 micrograms of iodine, helping you meet 40% of the daily-recommended value. Besides, the baked potato is also rich in fiber, vitamins, minerals and potassium.

4. Codfish:

Fishes are able to extract iodine from the seawater. Cod is a delicious, moist and a low calorie fish that comes packed with several essential nutrients like omega 3 fatty acids, protein, folate, vitamin D, E and potassium. A three-ounce serving of cod provides 99 micrograms of iodine, amounting to 99% of the daily value.

5. Yogurt:

Yogurt is one of the healthiest foods to include in your daily diet. It is also an excellent option for increasing the iodine levels in your body. A cup of yogurt provides 154 micrograms of iodine and 154 calories. So, enjoy yogurt smoothie in your breakfast or combine it with berries for a light evening snack.

   Ensure your yogurt contains live probiotics, I prefer Kefir - I do not drink milk due to cysts but I do consume organic 1% kefir or kombucha due to it's high probiotic content.

6. Lobster:

A serving of lobster daily can prevent you from iodine deficiencies. A 100 grams serving of lobster provides 100 micrograms of this essential mineral, around 67% of the daily value. Moreover, lobsters are quite low in fat content, making them a perfect choice for health conscious people. Lower cholesterol levels in lobsters help to maintain the triglyceride levels, thereby keeping the heart healthy. Lobsters are also rich in omega 3 fatty acids.

7. Cranberries:

This bright colored fruit provides a plethora of health benefits. It contains high concentrations of vitamin C, K, B, antioxidants and fiber. This fruit is an amazing source of iodine as well. Four ounces of cranberries provide 400 micrograms of iodine, equaling to 267% of the daily value. Cranberry is also renowned for its positive effects on urinary tract infection. The fruit is low in calories as well. While purchasing packaged juice, be aware of its sugar content.

8. Green Beans:

A half-cup serving of green beans can help you meet 2% of the daily value of iodine. Green beans are a great source of folate, vitamin B, C, protein and potassium as well. It provides nearly 40% of the daily value of folate and 53% of the daily value of fiber, which protects the colon and flushes the amount of toxins from it.

Tips to Optimize the Iodine Levels Naturally:

• Try to purchase as much organic food as possible. Wash all the fruits and vegetables thoroughly to clear the pesticides and other chemicals.
• Avoid eating and drinking from plastic containers.
• Avoid soda and aerated drinks. Drink, pure filtered water instead.
• Your personal care products should be as chemical free as possible.

Will you include these iodine rich food sources to have sufficient levels of iodine in the body system?

Lastly, before taking supplements get tested by your doctor to avoid taking dangerous levels of iodine supplement. 

Virgin Piña Colada - Fertility Friendly Recipe

Pineapples are great for implantation of the embryo and great for inflammation. Great for those suffering from PID, PCOS,  and Endometriosis. The added cinnamon encourages blood circulation to the uterus and body.



1 Cup frozen pineapples

1/2 Cup of sweetened coconut/almond milk / coconut cream

1/2 teaspoon of Ceylon cinnamon 

Freeze fresh pineapples 

Add frozen pineapples to a blender 

Add almond / coconut milk / coconut cream 

Add cinnamon 

Blend and serve.

Enjoy!

Health Benefits of Argula and a great fertility herb food

    I've always heard about argula and how it is so good for you. I really have no excuse why I disliked it in the past so I guess this is argula season. I picked up some from Trader Joe's and I have been addicted to it ever since. Arugula is rich in vitamins A, C, E and K, and various B vitamins such as thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, vitamin B-6, and pantothenic acid. The leaves contain plenty of minerals, especially copper and iron. It also has trace amounts of some other essential minerals and electrolytes such as calcium, iron, manganese, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, selenium, and zinc.

    Arugula is  known by other names such as salad rocket, garden rocket, roquette, rucola, rugula or colewort.  The scientific name of arugula is Eruca sativa.
   Argula is said to have cancer power properties like broccoli and cauliflower. It is high in fibre and antioxidants studies show may reduce the risk of developing lung, prostate, breast, and pancreatic cancer.
   Argula is rich in chlorophyll, so to get the most chlorophyll in arugula, it is best to eat it raw. The large amounts of chlorophyll, also known as “liquid sunshine” helps cleanses the blood, detoxifies cells, heals disease in the body and boosts oxygen. It contains indole-3-carbinol and isothiocyanates which have been shown to suppress the production inflammation in the body.
    Arugula is high in most B vitamins but contains especially high amounts of folate. Awesome for those early pregnancy months and good for those trying to conceive. Fresh arugula is an excellent source of folate and when consumed by a woman during the time of conception and throughout pregnancy, may help prevent neural tube defects in the newborn child. Please Note:
Arugula is relatively lower in oxalate content than that in spinach, purslane, mustard greens, celery, etc. The greens can be safely used during pregnancy and lactation. As always consult your physician*

   Studies show those who eat arugula on a regular basis are found to have more sexual drive and energy. Arugula also contains high levels of iron and copper, making it a strong substitute or addition to spinach in your diet.

Pre-Conception and Fertility Nutrition by Marie Olson NTP

I love the springtime.  To me, it’s such a time of renewal and rebirth.  That’s when all the animals and plants seem to come back to life after the long, cold winter season.  I always think of baby bunnies hopping around the yard and their prolific fertility.

            Speaking of fertility…when we as Americans think of fertility and preparation for having babies, how many of us think about diet? Most people know that age-old advice that as an expecting woman, one is “eating for two.” But what is being eaten? Is it wholesome, nutrient-dense food? Or merely an increase in calories and/or quantity of our day-to-day diet? Is that the healthiest choice?

            Many of you have probably heard about the SAD diet in America; SAD being an acronym for the Standard American Diet.  The Standard American Diet is the diet touted by the US Government as being the best nutrition we can eat. The US Dietary Guidelines for Americans suggest 45-65% of our calories should come from carbohydrates, while 20-35% should come from fat and 10-35% should come from protein.  Well, I teach Nutrition, and to me, those numbers are not very pro-health.  If you look at traditional diets, and the diets of typical Americans before the advent of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans in the 1970s, we ate far fewer calories from carbohydrates. 

            As a Nutritional Therapy Practitioner, I typically urge clients to aim for a 40-30-30 ratio when eating; that is, 40% carbohydrates, 30% fats and 30% protein.  30% fat? Isn’t that a lot?  I can hear the questions now…the quick answer is, not really.  Think about the fact that for every gram of fat you consume, it has about 9 calories, so you need a lot less fat by weight than you do of protein or carbohydrates, which only have about 4 calories per gram.  So what that means, is that a half-pound of butter (1 stick or 8 oz, or 226.8 grams) will be a little over twice as many calories (2041.2) as half a pound of protein or carbohydrates (907.2 calories).  And who eats an entire stick of butter in one sitting, anyway?  In other words, eating the same amount of fat by weight makes more calories.  Make sense? That means that if we’re eating a ratio of 30-30-40, we need a lot less fat than you think to achieve that based on calories; it’s actually quite a balanced way to set up your plate and achieve an optimal amount of fat in your diet.

Why are fats so important, anyway? Fat is key to developing healthy hormones.  In fact, every cell membrane is made up of fat! Fat is essential.  It ensures we are absorbing our fat-soluble vitamins: A, D, E and K.  Fat is required for proper protein absorption, and also serves as protection for our organs (think “padding”).  Ever run into something with your knee (no padding from fat)? It really hurt, right? What about your hip, where most of us have a little more padding? Not as bad? Fat also helps slow the absorption of food and make us feel full longer. 

When was the last time you had a meal without fat (usually cold cereal for breakfast comes to mind) – chances are you were starving a couple of hours later, right? What about if you had bacon and eggs for breakfast? You were probably good to go until lunch, right? Plus, fat just makes food taste better! This whole low-fat, no-fat mantra we’ve all been hearing for years is not only wrong, but dangerous.  Ever known anyone that ate a low-fat diet and had problems conceiving? I’ve known many.  When I see clients, that is one of the first things I ask them – what’s your fat intake like? And what types of fats are you eating? Because both of those questions are very important to determine if they are getting what their body needs to support life.  Fat-free and low-fat foods have the fat removed (along with the flavor it provides) and have to make up for that with other things – usually fillers, sugar and/or salt.  Wouldn’t it just be better to get the flavor from the fat that was there to begin with? I think so! Stop buying fat-free and low-fat yogurt and stick with the whole milk version – it tastes better, has fewer additives, and will sustain you for longer, too!

            There are three types of fats: saturated, the most stable of all the fats, which is found in animal products and tropical oils; your body can make this from carbohydrates; monounsaturated fat, also relatively stable, which is found predominately in nut oils like almonds, pecans, cashews and other sources like olive oil and avocado oil; the body can make this from saturated fats; and finally, polyunsaturated fat.  This is considered an unstable fat, and should never be heated or used for cooking.  Think of using this as a finishing oil to use AFTER something is cooked, just to give it some flavor.  It can also be used in cold applications like salad dressing.  Polyunsaturated fats are found in flax seed oil, some nuts, fish and seed oils. 

There are two types of fats that are essential, which means we MUST get them from our diet, because our body cannot make them on its own.  They are linoleic acid (aka omega-6) and alpha linolenic acid (aka omega-3).  As I’m sure you’ve heard, salmon is a great source of omega-3 fatty acid, as are sardines and other oily fish.  Especially in pre-conception and during pregnancy, walnut oil, wheat germ and hemp are also good sources.  Omega-6 fatty acids can be found in sunflower and sesame oil; again, these are the best sources during pre-conception and pregnancy.  Most people get plenty of omega-6 fats in their diet, but are often lacking enough omega-3 fats.  In fact, most people are around 24:1 omega-6:omega-3, and should be more like 3:1 or even 1:1 for a better ratio. 

Getting back to nutrition and preparing for children…did you know that so called “primitive” cultures often had a pre-conception fertility diet to ensure healthy mother and offspring? Some started 6 months before marriage (assuming that conception would start shortly after), while others started 6 months before conception.  Typically these cultures would increase the vitamins, minerals, fats and organ meats in the diet for both the mother and father in preparation of children.  Not only that, but the special diet would continue through pregnancy and even after, to provide satisfactory nutrition to the baby while nursing.  These “special foods” were set aside specifically for those in the group/tribe that were preparing to conceive, because they were known to be the best sources of nutrients for a healthy pregnancy and baby. 

Here in the United States, we really don’t get much guidance when it comes to pre-conception nutrition.  Usually, it starts when we’ve already conceived:  “Limit your caffeine. Give up smoking. Stop drinking alcohol. Take pre-natal vitamins.” Yes, that is all good advice; and yes, it is best to start that as soon as possible, even before conception.  But does that advice constitute good nutrition?

Here’s what I would love to see instead: eat three to five meals a day, with a good combination of fats, protein and carbohydrates at each meal.  They don’t have to be big meals; eating consistently throughout the day will help balance blood sugar, alleviate cravings and give one steady energy.  This is especially important for anyone dealing with Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS), because low-fat, high-carbohydrate diets are associated with a higher risk of developing PCOS. 

Make sure you’re getting the best nutrition you can afford; ideally, aim for locally grown, organic foods.  If you can only afford to buy one thing organic, invest in organic butter.  I really like Kerry Gold Butter, which is cultured butter from grass-fed cows, high in fat-soluble vitamins thanks to the fresh grass and sunlight.  Toxins are stored in the fats of animals (and humans are an animal, too!), so getting the best sources of fat you can is crucial for a few reasons.  Toxins may be released into the placenta during pregnancy, and into the baby, especially if someone experiences significant weight loss during pregnancy (think: morning sickness).  This is also the case prior to pregnancy – since toxins are released when one loses weight, and if one loses significant weight, those toxins will be released into the blood stream.  If the body is not properly detoxified, those toxins can be reabsorbed into the body and wreak havoc in different body systems.

Get enough sleep! Pregnancy can take a toll on your body, and you won’t get much after baby arrives, so soak it up while you can! This will allow your body time to repair and recover, and you’ll have more energy to get things done the next day, too.  While eating a varied diet can certainly help ensure you have the vitamins and minerals you need, getting a good multi-vitamin certainly doesn’t hurt.  Some good choices that are bio-available forms are Metabolic Maintenance’s FemOne or Vital Nutrients Prenatal. 

Even better, join a local pre-conception support group! I am very excited to offer the Feed Your Fertile Body!^TM Program just for such support! In this class, which is designed for either couples or singles, you will get step by step recommendations on what to do to prepare for welcoming a baby into your family.  There are pantry clean-outs with recommended swaps, and we even get to try new foods in the group.  I look forward to working with you to address your nutrition needs.

 

 

Marie Olson, NTP is a Nutritional Therapy Practitioner in private practice.  She is the Owner of NutriSimplicity, and specializes in digestion, pre-conception nutrition, Functional Blood Chemistry Analysis and Get at the Roots^TM Weight Loss.  She serves as an Adjunct Faculty Instructor at the Culinary Institute of Virginia, where she teaches Nutrition.  You can find her on the web NutriSimplicity

 

 

Many of the books and products listed below can be viewed and/or purchased through NutriSimplicity’s Amazon Store (affiliate link).  By purchasing items through my store link, I will earn a small commission at no cost to you.  You are never under any obligation to purchase through my links, but if you choose to do so, the money I earn helps me to maintain my website and bring you more information like this article! So, thank you!

 

Sources and Suggested Reading:  

Feed Your Fertile Body! Participant Workbook, Sara Russell, PhD, NTP, CGP

Mother Food: Food and Herbs that Promote Milk Production for a Mother’s Health, Hilary Jacobson

Nourishing Traditions: The Cookbook that Challenges Politically Correct Nutrition and the Diet Dictocrats, Sally Fallon

Nutrition and Physical Degeneration, Weston A. Price, DDS

Real Plans, Meal Planning Service

Special thanks to Sara Russell, PhD, NTP, CGP of Your Probiotic Kitchen for information about PCOS and Toxins in pre-conception

Super Nutrition for Babies: The Right Way to Feed Your Baby for Optimal Health, Katherine Erlich and Kelly Genzlinger

The Nourishing Traditions Book of Baby and Child Care, Sally Fallon Morell and Thomas S. Cowan

The Nutritional Therapist Training Program, Nutritional Therapy Association