Watch this video on YouTube.

Some key points we discussed…

• How is “fresh” orange juice really made
• How Pepsi and Coca-Cola are involved
• Possible health concerns with drinking orange juice
• Why perfume/cologne manufacturers are involved with orang juice
• “Concentrate” versus “Not From Concentrate”
• Where the most nutrition is in the orange (hint: it’s not the inside)

Alissa’s Bio

Alissa Hamilton holds a Ph.D. from the Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies and a J.D. from the University of Toronto Law School. She has been a Graham Research Fellow in International Human Rights at the University of Toronto Faculty of Law. She is a former 2008-2009 Food and Society Policy Fellow with the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy (IATP). She lives in Toronto.

More info about Alissa on her “Squeezed”website.

WHAT ARE SEASONAL ALLERGIES?

Hay fever, also called allergic rhinitis, is characterized by sneezing, runny nose, itchy eyes, and postnasal drip. Normally, the body’s immune system acts like the border police and only allows residents (our own cells) to live freely. When there is an invader, the immune system responds by making antibodies, or in the case of hay fever, histamines. Normally this is a good thing because we don’t want infectious organisms, dusts, molds, and other harmfuls entering our body. But, when we become hypersensitive to these substances, our immune system overreacts and causes an inflammatory reaction.

ARE THERE ANY NATURAL REMEDIES FOR HAY FEVER?

Luckily there are some great natural remedies that help with the symptoms and can actually prevent seasonal allergies from happening in the first place.

1. Quercetin – I have found this one to be one of the best natural antihistamines. It works by stabilizing the membrane of histamine-releasing cells. It also has anti-inflammatory properties. (Up to six, 500mg capsules a day, may be needed) ¹
2. Vitamin C – a natural antihistamine and immune booster. ²
3. Nettles (Stinging Nettle) – an herb that has been shown to alleviate allergic rhinitis. ³
4. Vitamin B5 – it helps strengthen adrenal function, which is intimately involved in the immune response.
5. Try a Neti Pot … to help you breath again! Nasal irrigation using a Neti pot has been practiced for centuries in India as a natural way of clearing the sinus cavity of mucous and debris. Watch the video for a demo …

Try one, or try ‘em all! Sometimes it takes a little trial and error but its well worth the effort.

- Josh

Watch this video on YouTube.

Some key points we discussed…

• Total Toxic Load
• Conventional vs Functional toxicology
• What is PURE?
• Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) – endocrine disruptors
• Why slow and steady is the best way to detox
• Who shouldn’t detox
• Where we most often store toxins
• The most neglected and unappreciated source of toxins
• The best diet for detoxification

Kristi Hughes Bio

KRISTI HUGHES, ND founded the Center of Natural Healing Arts over a decade ago with a vision of providing integrated healthcare solutions for the public, as well as healthcare providers both locally in Minnesota and internationally. Dr. Hughes attended the University of Minnesota-Duluth and then graduated from the National College of Naturopathic Medicine in Portland, OR, in 1997. While in medical school she worked at the Fibromyalgia and Myofascial Pain Clinic under Dr. Carolyn McMakin, learning advanced strategies for managing chronic pain naturally through the use of frequency-specific microcurrent. Dr. Hughes became an Applying Functional Medicine in Clinical Practice graduate in 2000 and immediately found that the Functional Medicine Matrix Model offered the architecture she had been seeking to organize her naturopathic education. She went on to re-attend the AFMCP program three additional times over the decade, then joined the faculty on the Detoxification Model, and became an Associate Director of Medical Education for IFM in early 2010. Her role at IFM includes working with the development and teaching teams in the Functional Medicine Certification Program and Functional Nutrition Course. She has been lecturing internationally on lifestyle and functional medicine for more than a decade and has been instrumental in providing functional medicine resources for clinicians and nutrition professionals in South Africa.

Dr. Hughes is also co-developer of the FirstLine Therapy Certification Program and has specialized in the application of lifestyle medicine for managing CardioMetabolic Syndrome and Body Composition concerns. At her three clinic locations in Minnesota, she manages an integrated team of healthcare providers, which includes naturopathic physicians, nurses, acupuncturists, massage therapists, and lifestyle coaches. Her clinic site provides preceptor opportunities for naturopathic medical students, offers a Naturopathic Residency program, and models the integration of functional medicine with a naturopathic foundation.

Kristi can be found at www.dynamichealingcenter.com.

If we look at the most basic part of our brains, which has only one role – survival, we can see that it is mirrored in the brain of a reptile. Therefore, we entitle it the “reptilian brain.” The reptilian brain is the most basic part of out brain.

We can learn a lot by studying a reptile’s brain and, thus, their hierarchy of needs. Why? Because this reflects our fundamental innate needs.

There are three fundamental needs of every animal, and they operate on a hierarchy. I’ll use the example of a snake to illustrate my point.

1. Safety: A snake will not leave its burrow until it knows that it will not be eaten and that the “coast is clear.”

2. Sustenance: Once the snake has checked that the coast is clear, it will slither about looking for a nice warm meal to obtain nourishment.

3. Procreation: Once the snake knows its environment is safe and there is enough food to support a family, it will go and find a mate and procreate.

So how does this relate to us humans? Well, if we don’t have safety and sustenance, we are not fit for bringing another life into the world. Mother nature is way smarter than us, and employs certain physiological mechanisms to ensure life can be supported (or unsupported).

We have an epidemic of infertility. Why? If we look at the model of the reptilian brain, we must understand that the fundamental need of every human is safety. When we perceive something as threatening, whether it be financial issues, getting cut off by a car, or even a violent movie, we enter the fight or flight and fright response. This is associated with the release of stress hormones and thus a physiology that reflects DANGER.

Next, we need sustenance. How many people are trying to get pregnant yet are eating what Michael Pollan calls “food-like substances.” People are eating foods that are abundant in calories, yet depleted of nutrients (vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients). Strike two for setting the physiology up for new life.

When the two basic human needs of safety and sustenance are not met due to over-stimulation, lack of stress-reduction, and poor food choices, fertility becomes very difficult for many.

Mother nature always knows best,
- Josh

The act of learning can be defined as the development of new neural pathways. Children develop these pathways extremely rapidly because they are constantly learning new

information and developing new skills.

In order to fuel this rapid development, children need a constant reliable flow of energy for their nervous system.

The brain’s primary source of fuel is glucose. And the brain uses it’s fair share. It weighs two percent of our body weight yet uses twenty percent of circulating glucose.

Have you ever sat at a desk to do work that took serious concentration and found yourself exhausted and hungry by the end? This is because the brain was working so hard and burning up glucose (blood sugar).

You can imagine the requirements of a child’s brain while attending a full day of activity-filled school.

It is vitally important to feed children low glycemic index foods and meals in order to optimize mental performance. This could literally change the course of their life.

Indications of Blood Sugar Problems

• Hyperactivity
• Low grades
• Inability to follow instructions
• “Acting out”
• Aggression towards other kids/adults
• Problems focusing

I believe one of the biggest issues for children is what they are eating for breakfast.

Breakfast sets up blood sugar levels for the entire day. If a child is fed a high glycemic index breakfast, they are sure to “crash” when they get to school. This can lead to the symptoms described above and, as a result, the related consequences. All because they didn’t have a proper breakfast.

In 2005, a study was published summarizing the results from 47 different studies. They concluded that “breakfast consumption may improve cognitive function related to memory, test grades, and school attendance.” ¹

High Glycemic Index Breakfasts

Cereal and Milk: Cereals are usually high in sugar and are made with refined grains. On top of this, pasteurized milk is added, which is basically sugar water (lactose being the sugar present in milk). Skim milk is even worse because the fat has been removed.

Toast with jam: Most bread is refined, and jam is basically sugar. It is a combination that burns quickly and does not offer lasting energy.

Brain Supportive Breakfasts

Rolled oats with flax oil and maple syrup: Oats provide whole grain nutrition, while the flax oil brings down the glycemic index and the maple syrup makes it delicious. Nuts, seeds and fruit can be added as desired.

Protein shake: Protein shakes are fast, easy, and you can add many great ingredients. Add a couple teaspoons of flax oil, hemp oil, or coconut oil to bring down the glycemic index.

Eggs: Eggs are a complete protein and offer the beneficial omega 3 fats. Always buy organic eggs.

Adults Beware

The only difference between children and adults is that, as we age and mature, we develop more self-control. So, we might experience the same blood sugar effects as children, but we have the skills to not exhibit similar behaviour (for the most part). Therefore, adults must control blood sugar levels, too.

Choose your breakfasts wisely.

- Josh

Because supplements are unregulated and available to anyone, people often try to self-prescribe these therapies. The great thing about supplements is that, most of the time, if used incorrectly they will not pose any risk. However, people can misuse supplements in a number of ways.

Misuse #1: Not Enough

Health Canada has stringent regulations on the maximum dosage a supplement label can recommend. Thus, the dosage is often way too low to have any therapeutic effect. I often hear people saying “supplements don’t work for me.”  After inquiring further, we both discover that they were using an ineffective dosage.

Misuse #2: Too Much

The other side of the spectrum when dealing with dosage is taking too much. Sometimes, people believe that because supplements are natural, more must be better. This can’t be further from the truth. Anything can become harmful if used in the wrong amount, even water.

Misuse #3: Drug Interactions

Many people take supplements to either mitigate some of the damages of drugs, or come off of drugs. This should only be done with the supervision of a trained health care practitioner, as there are many interactions between supplements and drugs.

For example, people who are on antidepressants (the SSRI class) that potentiate the action of serotonin need to proceed with caution when using 5HTP. 5HTP is a natural supplement which is a precursor to serotonin and, if used along with an SSRIs, a dangerous condition can result known as serotonin syndrome. Serotonin syndrome results from a overabundance of serotonin in the brain. Symptoms include confusion, fever, shivering, sweating, diarrhea, and muscles spasms. This can actually progress into a medical emergency.

Misuse #4: Too Long

If using supplements therapeutically to achieve a certain health goal, they should only be used for a certain period of time and then discontinued or titrated to a lower dose.

One of the ways supplements work is that they help the body build up its stores so that the nutrient is readily available for certain biochemical reactions. For example, vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin and thus gets stored in the liver. If someone is taking a dose that is higher than the amount that the body is utilizing (this amount is different for everyone) then, over time, they can develop vitamin D toxicity.

Misuse #5: “Bandaiding”

The allopathic way of dealing with symptoms is usually to mask the symptoms. Have a headache? Take a pain-killer. Digestive upset? Take an antacid. Depressed? Take an antidepressant.

Integrative health care practitioners can also fall into the “pill-for-every-ill” trap, too, when it comes to natural supplements.

I used to work at a health food store and people would come in daily asking for a supplement for their issues. I would often explain to them that, although they might alleviate some of the symptoms, they are not dealing with the root cause.

A perfect example of this was a gentlemen who would come in every two weeks for a bag of senna tea. Senna is a powerful laxative herb which can become habit-forming. Clearly, this person had a much more serious issue that he was not addressing. He could have been lacking sufficient fibre and/or water, while masking this nutritional shortcoming with herbal remedies.

Misuse #6: Ineffective

There are many supplements on the market that are just plain ineffective. An example, which I have discussed in a previous article is the multi-vitamin Centrum. The low dose of nutrients and addition of multiple fillers, additives, and colours make the supplement more harmful than beneficial.

The Bottom Line

Nutritional supplements can be extremely powerful and effective tools in restoring and maintaining health. Just because they are natural, however, doesn’t mean they are harmless.

When using any natural supplements, make sure to consult with a competent health care practitioner trained in the art of natural therapies, or research the appropriate usage from reliable books, articles, and journals.

- Josh

I began the talk by discussing some of the research supporting mental health naturally. Many aspects were covered, from IQ in children, to depression, and even violence in prisons. Here is the research I presented:

• IQ scores in children go up ten points when given a multi for eight months. ¹ This has been replicated over ten times.
• Dr. Walter Poldinger gave an SSRI (antidepressant such as Prozac) or 5-HTP (nutritional supplement) to depressed patients. 5-HTP outperformed SSRIs on every measure. ²
• Dr. Abram Hoffer treated 5000 schizophrenics with a 90% cure rate. ³

I then went on to discuss the two pillars of mental health and their interrelationship. We went over the importance of addressing both mind and body.

I then went into great detail on the 8 mental health essentials.

1. Balance blood glucose: The nervous system requires a constant and reliable flow of energy. When high-glycemic index foods are consumed, low blood-sugar levels can result causing various mental/emotional symptoms.

2. Essential fats: The brain is 60% fat and made up the fats you consume. Essential fats are the most important for the health of this system.

3. Phospholipids: Phospholipids make up our cell membranes and are responsible for proper communication between neurons.

4. Amino acids: Neurotransmitters are made from amino acid. An amino acid deficiency (amino acids come from protein) leads to a neurotransmitter deficiency.

5. Intelligent nutrients: Zinc is one such nutrient that is critical for mental health.

6. Move naturally: Exercise is the best antidepressant on the planet!

7. Down shift: We all need to relieve stress. Meditation, yoga, music, socializing, walking, nature, and breathing are all great ways to unwind.

8. Purpose now: Life needs purpose or the mind isn’t fullfilled.

I concluded the talk by reiterating the importance of doing all of the 8 mental health essentials at the same time for maximum benefit.

- Josh