ASKDOCTORANCA» Spring

Spring Recipe

Anca Martalog — Mon, 02 May 2011 20:07:57 +0000

One of my favorite springtime foods is a large salad. While some might consider this rabbit food, I would beg to differ since certain salads have enough substance to be considered a full- on meal. This recipe combines pungent celeriac, dark dandelion greens, and the sweet note of blood oranges and beets to make a lovely medley of flavors. According to Traditional Chinese Medicine theory, beets aid in clearing a congested or stagnated liver. This also makes sense from a Western standpoint since beets help to thin out bile, thereby allowing for the smooth flow of qi.

Liver Lovin’ Springtime Salad

1 organic celeriac peeled

3 organic golden beets cubed

3 small organic blood oranges

¼ pound of organic baby arugula

¼ pound of organic dandelion

1 organic garlic bulb, roasted

¼ cup organic chives diced

Preheat oven to 400F.

Peel away the outer layer of the garlic keeping the bulb intact. Chop ¼ off the top of the bulb, exposing the inner cloves of the bulb. Place on a sheet of parchment paper and drizzle olive oil over the garlic. Wrap the entire clove with parchment paper, wrapping under garlic to secure it. Place in oven and bake for 30-35 minutes as you prepare the rest of the salad.

Place cubed beets in a steamer and steam for about 15 minutes until soft. Set aside in a bowl. In the meantime, peel celeriac’s skin and discard. Continue to peel away at the celeriac to get long strips – don’t worry if some of them are short. Place in a bowl along with arugula, dandelion and beets. Chop chives and add to bowl.

Peel blood oranges and remove white pith. Cut into ¼ inch slices and add to bowl.

By this point the garlic should be ready to remove from oven. Allow to cool, and begin to make salad dressing (see below). With a small knife, cut around each garlic clove and remove with fingers or a cocktail fork. Add to salad.

Dijon Honey salad dressing

¼ cup olive oil

1 Tbsp organic Dijon mustard

1 tsp honey (or to taste)

Juice from one organic lemon

For salad dressing combine all ingredients into a small jar, close and shake vigorously. Pour over salad and eat immediately.

By eating according to the spring season we can discard the old and allow new energy to flow in. So eat your greens, breathe deeply, and welcome in the new change with seasonal foods under your belt.

Add Probiotics to Your Spring Cleanse

Anca Martalog — Fri, 29 Apr 2011 19:56:30 +0000

Spring is a time of detoxing and inner cleansing. If you are considering a detox this spring, be sure to add probiotics (good bacteria) to your routine. There are three main steps to detoxing: 1) clean 2) capture 3) sweep. In step one, your body’s detoxing organs (for example, your skin, lymph, blood, liver and kidneys) work to clean out toxins hiding within your body. They send these toxins to your liver. In step two, the liver adds these toxins to bile and sends them into your intestines. Fibre in your intestines traps the toxins so you will not re-absorb them. Step three involves the colon. Sweeping or moving the toxin-filled fibre out of your body is very important. If left too long in your colon, the toxins can cause damage to the tissues. Cascara sagrada and magnesium hydroxide are two supplements commonly used to help sweep out waste from the colon.

This sweeping is the step in which probiotics fit into cleansing. How? Certain species of beneficial bacteria help sweep out the colon and it can be used to promote colon health during a cleanse. However, your colon is not the only part of your intestines affected by a cleanse. The increased amount of toxins in your intestines during a cleanse can cause damage to your probiotic populations. Therefore, it may also be beneficial to replenish your probiotic populations after cleanse.

Replenish your probiotics

Rapidly replenishing the intestinal tract with probiotics after a cleanse can help ensure the intestines do not become a host to infections. Your intestines are like a parking lot. If there are spaces in your intestinal parking lot left empty after it experiences the high toxic load of a cleanse, bad microbes (for example, salmonella) take over. Make sure that these empty parking spaces, which are filled on a first-come first-served basis, are filled by probiotics not bad bacteria. Include a high-dosage probiotic to your cleansing program to keep your intestines healthy and happy.

Health effects of probiotics

Boost immunity
Prevent diarrhea/constipation
Improve vitamin synthesis (use by the body)
Help with lactose digestion
Prevent yeast infections and urinary tract infections
Promote health of heart and bones

Making a good choice

When selecting the probiotic to add in your cleansing program, choose one that includes both lactobacilli and bifidobacteria species. These probiotics live in your small and large intestine respectively. Using this type of probiotic product will help ensure that your entire intestinal tract is replenished, not just one part. Look for a product that contains a variety of probiotic species. Your intestinal tract contains over 40 different species of probiotics, so using a product with many species is beneficial because it mimics your natural, healthy probiotic environment. Select a probiotic product that contains prebiotics. Prebiotics encourage probiotics to grow and flourish in your intestines. Adding prebiotics to your probiotic supplement offers additional help because prebiotics promote the health of your existing probiotics populations.

Make bifidobacteria your friend

The health of your colon is important. The colon is not just a holding tank for waste; it is also the site of vitamin synthesis (usage by the body). Probiotics called bifidobacteria live in your colon and help synthesize B vitamins, which you need to feel energized. Bifidobacteria also help convert vitamin K in foods to vitamin K2, the form your bones need to stay strong and healthy, as well as play a role in boosting your immunity. Bifidobacteria help to detox, too! When your colon contains bifidobacteria, it has lower amounts of putrefactive substances (harmful toxins caused by “putrefying” or rotting food). This means that your colon tissue is less likely to be damaged. A product that contains Bifidobacteria longum, a particular strain of probiotics, has been shown in clinical trials to help increase fecal movement and improve the health of the colon. Not sure if you have a healthy colon? Frequently illness and diarrhea or constipation are signs that your colon is unhealthy. Cleaning up this spring? If you are detoxing or inner cleansing, add probiotics to your program. Then you can enjoy health from the inside out.

SPRING CLEANING FOR YOUR MEDICINE CABINET

Anca Martalog — Wed, 27 Apr 2011 19:48:01 +0000

As the weather turns warmer, we begin that annual ritual – spring cleaning. While you’re at it, don’t forget your medicine cabinet. It might surprise you what you’ll find.
Every over-the-counter medication has an expiry date stamped onto the label. Although an expiry date of two to three years is common, this date is only valid if the product seal is intact. Opened medications are susceptible to degradation by light and humidity, which reduces their best-before date to one year- as a general rule of thumb.
Similarly, prescription medications are only considered good for one year from the date of dispensing. Frequently applied products like a cream or eye-drops easily become contaminated and need more frequent replacement.
Homeopathics, on the other hand, are supposed to last for many many years, being energetic remedies. Problems … when they are stored inappropriately, in close proximity to other energetically- strong substances (perfumes, camphor, strong-smelling medicines) that inactivate them.
Nutritional and herbal remedies last for about 3 months over the “expiry date” ……. on the bottle, if they are not open. Once open, you should always check their expiry date.
An annual clean out is just the thing to keep everything you have on hand in good working order for when you need it.
Simple steps to get started
Step 1: Check for expired medication
• Dispose of expired medication and remedies and those you no longer require. Expired medications become ineffective and sometimes toxic
• Keep medications in their original containers to avoid mix ups. It’s always safer to dispose what you’re unsure of than risk an adverse reaction.
Step 2: Dispose medications safely
• Take old medications to a pharmacy location for safe disposal. Flushing medicine down the toilet or throwing it in the trash pollutes our land-fills and water supplies posing a risk for children and animals.
Step 3: Store medication safely
• Keep all medication out of reach of children and pets
• Store medications in a cool, dry place, away from light, heat and humidity – ironically, not your humid bathroom medicine cabinet. Refrigerate medications only when directed. Choose a high shelf in a bedroom, closet or kitchen.

Step 4: Create a medicine cabinet checklist
Stock up with essential: Echinacea (immune booster), a good probiotic (for digestive discomfort), a herbal cough syrup, zinc, lozenges.
• First aid kit must: antibiotic ointment, alcohol wipes, bandages, an instant cold pack, hydrocortisone cream, sterile gauge pads (non stick and adhesive tape.
• Restock your medicine cabinet with Dr. Anca’s Homeopathic First Aid Kit.
Just as spring cleaning is an event so should be cleaning out your medicine cabinet. Ask your pharmacist how to get the most benefit from your medications and your naturopath how to best use the natural remedies you’ve saved up!

the Top 10 Foods to Eat Organic

Anca Martalog — Thu, 10 Jun 2010 13:57:04 +0000

You’ve heard me many times stressing the importance of keeping your
body as “clean”(de-toxified) as possible-it is of paramount importance
for cancer prevention, increased focusing and concentrating ability
and decreasing degeneration which results in speeding up aging and
disease. One sure way to do all this is by avoiding Pesticides in
Your Produce-at least as much as you can…
…so, here are the Top 10 Foods to Eat Organic:
Much of the food that we consume on a daily basis contains pesticide
residues. While the FDA has regulations over the safe amount of
pesticide content in any food, the levels are particularly worrisome
in certain produce. While the consumption of these foods has been
shown to have no adverse affects in the short term, it has been shown
that high levels of these toxins found in the body over time can cause
all sorts of illness and disease.
While striving to eat organic is always something important, it is
often difficult, inconvenient; and can become quite costly. Because
not everyone can afford to go the 100% organic route every time they
shop, there are certain foods that experts say are more important to
eat organic than others. This is because they have high levels of
pesticide residues even after being washed and readied for
consumption. In fact, their toxin content is so high that nutrition
experts recommend only eating these foods when and if they can be
purchased organic.
Below is a list of the top 10 offenders, some of the nasty toxins they
contain, and ideal alternatives when organic can’t be found.
Strawberries
Main Nutrient: Vitamin C
Pesticide Residues These Often Contain: Strawberries have high levels
of fungicides, some of which are classified by the EPA as probable
human carcinogens. They are also frequently contaminated with
endosulfan, a chemical that interferes with normal hormone function by
imitating the hormone estrogen.
Healthy Alternatives: oranges, grapefruit, kiwifruit, watermelon
Spinach
Main Nutrient: Iron, Vitamins A and C
Pesticide Residues These Often Contain: Because spinach is often grown
in mediocre growing conditions, the crops are more susceptible to
insect damage and mildew. To prevent these problems from ruining their
harvests farmers use high amounts of pesticides and fungicides. As a
result spinach is exceptionally high in DDT, permethrin, chlorthalonil
and other cancer causing pesticides.
Healthy Alternatives: kale, swiss chard, broccoli, brussels sprouts,
asparagus
Peaches
Main Nutrient: Vitamins A and C
Pesticide Residues These Often Contain: This fruit has a heavy dose of
the cancer causing fungicides captan and iprodione, and the neurotoxic
pesticide methyl parathion, which are used to combat insects.
Healthy Alternatives: nectarines, watermelon, tangerines, oranges,
grapefruit
Apples
Main Nutrient: Vitamin C
Pesticide Residues These Often Contain: To keep apples so pretty and
shiny as we have come to see them in the grocery store, it takes a lot
of pesticides, fungicides and petroleum oil. Common pesticide residues
found on apples, are Chlorpyrifos, Diphenylamine, Captan, Carbendazim
and Thiabendazole.
Healthy Alternatives: watermelon, nectarines, bananas, tangerines
Pears
Main Nutrient: Vitamin A, Potassium
Pesticide Residues These Often Contain: Similar to apples, in order to
have aesthetically pleasing pears great deals of insecticides need to
be used. Common pesticides found on your average pear include:
Carbendazim, Chlormequat, Dithiocarbamates, Tolylfluanid, Captan.
Healthy Alternatives: canned pears, canned peaches, oranges
Celery
Main Nutrient: Carotenoids
Pesticide Residues These Often Contain: As celery is primarily made up
of water, it is no wonder that it absorbs anything and everything
around it; this includes toxins and water found in the soil around it.
As a result it is a major source of exposure to neurotoxic pesticides
and the probable human carcinogen, chlorthalonil.
Healthy Alternatives: carrots, broccoli, radishes, romaine lettuce

Understanding changes of season…

Anca Martalog — Sun, 14 Mar 2010 00:41:33 +0000

With spring here, changing in temperature, schedule and
certain habits, our body has you, yet again, adapt to all
this; which means it all could be a little stressful for
some of us, as the body perceives stress as any change: in
the outer environment or inner world.
Over the centuries, our bodies have been adapted to respond
to acute stressors. If there is a situation of immediate,
imminent danger, the appropriate hormones cause a ’fight or
flight’ response to the stressor. This was absolutely
imperative in order for one to escape danger or to defend
him/herself. The physical presentation of a threat is able
to psychologically elicit a physiological response in the
body. Moreover, one is also able to cause this cycle through
a perceived, psychological stressor, without the presence of
a physical entity. The effect created by the mind results in
the same adaptive hormones being released, however, without
the appropriate ‘off’ signal a person can be in a state of
perpetual ‘fight or flight’ for a long period of time. This
constant release of neuroendocrine hormones from the adrenal
glands can play a role in many conditions such as
depression, common colds, anxiety, chronic fatigue syndrome,
inflammatory bowel disease etc.
Adrenal Glands and Stress
When the adrenal glands are provoked by ACTH, they produce
epinephrine, norepinephrine, and cortisol, which help the
body adapt and survive a presenting stressor. The immediate
reaction to an exogenous or endogenous stressor is to have
the body in a state of ‘fight or flight’. The body’s
response is to release adrenal hormones, which increase
heart rate and blood pres- sure and divert blood to the
vital organs needed (brain, heart, and skeletal muscles) and
diverted from the less essential areas such as the
gastrointestinal tract.
The adrenal glands also produce hydrocortisone,
testosterone, estrogen and dehydroepinandrosterone (DHEA),
pregnenalone, aldosterone, androstenedione, progesterone, as
well as other intermediary hormones. Aldosterone works with
the renal system to help regulate the balance of sodium and
potassium within the body. This is critical for the
maintenance of blood pressure. In situations of chronic
stress exposure, one can exhaust/fatigue the adrenal glands,
leading to a state of ‘adrenal fatigue’. Thus, in the case
of aldosterone, the alteration in the fluid- balance
mechanism may create symptoms of ‘puffy hands and feet’.
The response and eventual adaption to stress involves
glucocorticoids to a large extent. This has a profound
effect on energy metabolism and biological functioning with
the body. For example, it is able to raise blood-sugar
levels, increase muscle-protein breakdown and hepatic
gluconeogenesis, and mobilize fatty acids. Further along the
stress adaption response involves compensation. This is also
known as the adrenal hyperfunction stage, with a secondary
influence on the HPA axis. The pituitary glands respond to
the sympathetic nervous system activity by releasing ACTH,
which cause the adrenal glands to produce excess cortisol
and androgen hormones.
The HPA axis responds by eventually becoming less sensitive
to the influence of cortisol’s feedback inhibition. As serum
cortisol levels rise, glucose utilization declines, insulin
resistance increases, gluconeogenesis in the liver
increases, and blood glucose levels increase. The body
responds to increased cortisol by increasing the degradation
of protein stores to supply amino acids for gluconeogenesis,
thus decreasing muscle mass. Adrenal hyperfunction is marked
by insulin resistance, mild obesity, hypertension, and
elevated triglycerides and lipids.
The final stages of stress response involve the decrease in
cortisol output, resulting in adrenal fatigue. The body is
unable to create the necessary cortisol and other
glucocorticoid hormones, resulting in physical changes.
People experiencing adrenal fatigue feel fatigued, may
become depressed, have difficulty concentrating, and may
experience painful headaches, low blood pressure,
sensitivity to carbohydrates, and an inability to tolerate
alcohol. Furthermore, cortisol is an anti-inflammatory
molecule, thus a decline in its production allows for more
inflammatory eicosanoids and cytokines, leading to eventual
tissue damage.
Herbal aids for treatment
Glycyrrhiza glabra is known to have many functions, most
notably for its adrenocorticoid-like activity. Further, it
has anti-inflammatory, antiallergy, antitussive, antiviral,
antiulcer, and estrogen balancing properties. It reduces the
amount of hydrocortisone broken down by the liver, which
then decreases the workload of the adrenal glands.
Withania somnifera, is noted alongside Glycyrrhiza for its
ability to support adrenal function. They have both been
used traditionally for convalescence, nervous exhaustion,
fatigue, geriatric debility, physical and mental stress, and
insomnia. Withania combined with Eleuthrococcus senticosus
may influence the adrenal hormone activity by helping to
support normal HPA axis function.
Further, Dioscorea opposite, Rhemannia glutinosa, and
Cordyceps sinensis are used commonly in Traditional Chinese
Medicine as herbs that ‘tonify’. These herbs contain
constituents, such as steroidal saponins, that may act as
precursors to adrenal hormones.
In modern society, situations of chronic stress outweigh
acute stressors that were once apparent in early
civilization. As a result, individuals are depleting their
stores of compensatory hormones, ultimately developing into
states of ‘adrenal fatigue’. It is in this state that
individuals place them- selves at higher risks of other
conditions such as diabetes, hypertension, depression, etc.
To aid individuals in these circumstances, it is imperative
that one considers their lifestyle. An appropriate analysis
of their life circumstances should reveal areas that are
contributing to the condition. Thus, stress management and
added adrenal support are able to assist individuals through
the occurrences, as maladaptive stress responses will
ultimately lead to one’s demise.
These issues, and more, are things we talk about in my new
Tele-Course “STOP surviving and START thriving”; you too
can learn all this by either sampling ONE Class or joining
uour MasterMind groups here.

Why You need to ALKALIZE…

Anca Martalog — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 01:34:25 +0000

…decrease acidity and increase alkalinity…

An imbalanced diet high in acidic food (animal protein, sugar, colas, fried foods, caffeine, processed foods) causes far-reaching damage to one’s health. The body constantly attempts to rebalance itself, and return to its natural alkaline state. The alkaline minerals: sodium, calcium, potassium and magnesium found in vital organs and the bones, are removed and used to return the body’s fluids to an alkaline state.

Over time, poor eating habits deplete the body of these valuable alkalizing minerals and acidic waste builds up in the cells and tissue. Consequently, it becomes more difficult for your body to naturally cleanse and detoxify itself. This is where daily detoxification comes into play.

THE LIVER LOVES LEMONS!

Starting each day with lemon juice in a glass of pure water has been referred to in medical text for hundreds of years, and known by our “grandmothers” as beneficial, health- giving habit.

The morning is the natural cleansing period for the body. The lemon, one of nature’s powerhouse foods, is known to stimulate digestion, increase saliva flow, and support the liver and the production of bile- releasing congestion & toxins.

You can drink fresh lemon juice or lemon slices mixed with water throughout the day for further detoxification. Water is the key component here and you should ideally drink at least 64 ounces per day. For the EXACT amount of water YOUR body needs, download and listen to my QUICK START ON YOUR NATURAL PATH mp3, which contains the formula…

To investigate how toxic You are 7 find solutions, take Dr.Anca’s TOXICITY SELF-TEST

SPRING IS THE BEST TIME TO DE-CLUTTER & REGENERATE

Anca Martalog — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 00:43:18 +0000

Do You need to de-clutter?

HOW THE BODY DETOXIFIES

Normally, the body has its own internal de-cluttering system, continually detoxifying, pollutants, cellular by- products, harmful chemicals and toxic waste. Here’s how.

LIVER

The liver is our most important detoxifier, as it neutralizes poisons. What it cannot render harmless, it stores – protecting the rest of the body from harm.

KIDNEYS

The kidneys eliminate fluid wastes, maintain electrolyte balance and purify the bloodstream by detoxifying medications, free radicals and toxins found in the blood.

COLON

The colon eliminates solid wastes and absorbs water from foods.

LUNGS

The lungs act as a site of blood filtration and eliminate toxic gases with each respiration.

SKIN

As the largest eliminative organ, every pore of the skin is an escape route for waste material.

GENERAL CLEANSING GUIDELINES

Why Spring “Cleaning”?

Anca Martalog — Sat, 04 Apr 2009 13:26:11 +0000

Our bodies are naturally equipped to eliminate toxins. However, as our environment becomes more polluted with an ever-increasing number of synthetic chemicals, our bodies are exposed to a growing number of toxins from food, water, air, household chemicals and even our workplaces. This leads to a gradual accumulation of toxins that can cause symptoms ranging from fatigue, headaches, mood changes, pains, coughs and gastrointestinal problems. Long-term toxic exposure can weaken our systems, increase our susceptibility to infection and eventually lead to chronic illness. To thrive in this environment, our bodies need extra support to detoxify themselves. In my upcoming Tele-session, you will learn specific dietary and lifestyle changes that will safely eliminate built-up toxins from your system and help you reduce your exposure, preventing future accumulation. Cleared of toxins and wastes, your body will be able to function optimally and you will experience an improvement in overall health.

To register for Dr.Anca’s Naturopathic Tele-Seminar coming up this Wednesday, April8, visit here:

http://telehealthsecrets.com/teleseminars/teleseminar1

The signs of toxic overload are not a necessary part of life.

Anca Martalog — Sun, 21 Sep 2008 13:56:21 +0000

They may have become common, but they are not normal. Wastes are deposited in cells and tissues, where they undermine the body’s ability to function effectively, leading to:

* Fatigue

* Headaches

* Gas and bloating

* Aches and pains

* Dry, itchy skin

* Blemishes

* Body odour

* Skin irritation/rashes

* Sleeplessness

* Indigestion

* Nausea

* Mood swings

* Constipation or bowel irregularity (less than once a day is cause for concern)

More common toxicity symptoms include headache, fatigue, mucus problems, aches and pains, digestive problems, “allergy” symptoms, and sensitivity to environmental agents such as chemicals, perfumes, and synthetics. People who experience these and others on the list may benefit from diet changes or avoidance of the drug or agent that may be influencing the symptom.

If you want to learn more, I invite you to register for my FREE Detoxification Tele-seminar coming up this Thursday.