Author Archives: Dr. Peter Knight

Managing Holiday Stress

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The holidays can be a joyful time to spend with family and friends.  Unfortunately for many the holidays can also be a very stressful time.   There is the over-booked calendar, the over-eating, the over-spending, the over-committing, the over-drinking, and generally the over-indulging that can put you over the edge. Even seeing family members can spark conflicting emotions and threaten your peace.  And each year as the holiday season seems to get longer and longer, there is more time for stress to manifest.   Managing stress effectively during the holiday season will help you give yourself the gift of health.

Although normal levels of stress can motivate and propel us to achieve great things, high levels of stress have a counter-productive effect on our immune system and health.  Stress, whether environmental, physical, mental, or emotional, leads the body to have the same physiological response. Chemicals are released in the body in reaction to stress such as adrenaline, epinephrine, and cortisol, increasing your blood pressure, heart rate, and insulin levels. In fact, chronic stress has been linked to many diseases such as hypertension, migraines, irritable bowel syndrome, and anxiety.

Taking a holistic approach to stress management during the holidays will allow you to create more serenity within and with those around you. While many of the ways to reduce stress are easy and fairly obvious, we often forget about them when we most need them.  A few tips to keep in mind are:

  • Breathe!  Slowing the breath down can have a direct effect on lowering your heart rate and making you feel more relaxed. For a simple breathing technique that helps to decrease stress see the post on the 4-7-8-breathing technique.
  • Sleep: Even small amounts of sleep deprivation can increase the body’s stress levels.  Try to aim for 8 hours of sleep a night.  Take advantage of times for naps and opportunities to sleep in. If you are experiencing difficulty sleeping, ask Dr. Knight about herbs and supplements that may help you to get a good night’s sleep.
  • Eat a well-balance diet rich in fruits and vegetables, fiber, legumes, healthy protein sources, and complex carbohydrates while limiting foods high in sugar and refined carbohydrates.  It can sometimes help to eat a healthy snack before going to a holiday party so that you are not as tempted to fill up on less healthy options such as fried foods, cookies and other sweets.
  • Exercise for your sanity’s sake. Just 30 minutes a day — a brisk walk, a run, a bike ride, walking the dog, cross country skiing, or strength training — gives you a powerful tool to fend off stress. Exercise not only helps you manage weight and is good for your body, but it can help you de-stress and clear your mind.
  • Consider alternatives to traditional gift giving such as offering services, a donation to a charity, or a homemade treat.
  • Set time aside each day for just you– read, go for a walk, or linger over a relaxing cup of tea.

If you need more help with decreasing stress around the holidays or at any time during the year or if you are looking for more specific ways to manage stress Dr. Knight can develop an individualized plan for you.       

Posted in Stress Reduction

A Selection of Winter Recipes from the Omnivore’s Delight

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Mini Beet Rosti

Ingredients:

  • 1 ½ pounds beets
  • 2 tsp fresh rosemary coarsely chopped
  • ½ cup chickpea flour
  • 4 Tbsp olive or grape seed oil
  • ½ tsp salt.
  • ¼ tsp fresh ground black pepper

Cut off the stem and tail ends of the beets.  Using a vegetable peeler, remove peel from beets.  Grate beets using a hand grater or food processor. Heat a 12 inch skillet over medium heat.  In a large bowl toss beets with rosemary, salt, and pepper.  Add ½ the flour (1/4 cup).  Toss until well combined.  Add the remainder of the flour and again toss until well combined.  Pour 2 tbsp of oil into pan and turn to coat the bottom of the pan.  Scoop a ¼ cup of the beet mixture and form into a ball.  Place in pan and press down with a spatula to form a thin patty.  Repeat until pan is full.  You will not be able to fit the whole amount of beets into the pan and will have to cook them in two batches.  Cook over medium heat until the bottom of the patty is crisp, about 8 minutes.  Once crisp, flip the patties and continue to cook until the other side is crisp, about 8 minutes longer.  Remove from pan and repeat process with remaining beet mixture.

Three Sisters’ Stew

Ingredients:

  • Aprox. 2 cups cooked beans (such as scarlet runner, kidney, cranberry, navy, or butter beans)
  • 3 cups vegetable or chicken stock
  • 2 tsp. ground cumin
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 tsp dried oregano
  • ½ tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1 medium onion chopped
  • 2 tsp sea salt
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 2- 3 cups winter squash peeled and cut into chunks. *
  • 1 (14 oz) can chopped tomatoes
  • 1 tsp chili powder
  • 1 ½ cups fresh or frozen corn

Heat a 4 quart pot over medium heat. Add oil and sauté cumin, cinnamon, and oregano for 30 seconds.  Add onion salt and garlic; sauté until onion is soft, about 5 minutes.  Add squash, tomatoes, stock, and chili powder. Bring to a simmer and cook until squash is soft, about 20 minutes/  Add cooked beans and corn; simmer until corn is tender. Adjust seasoning as needed.

*If using Delicata squash you do not need to peel them.

Mushroom Leek Spread

Ingredients:

  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 cup leeks (whites only) coarsely shopped
  • 1 clove garlic minced
  • 8 oz crimini mushrooms
  • 4 oz shitake mushrooms
  • ½ tsp dried oregano
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ¼ tsp black pepper
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice
  • ½ tsp prepared brown mustard

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium high heat.  Sauté leeks and garlic for 2 minutes.  Add mushrooms, oregano, salt, and pepper.  Reduce heat to medium and continue to cook stirring occasionally until the mushrooms are cooked and much of the liquid has evaporated.  Transfer to blender or food processor.  Add lemon juice and mustard and puree.

Posted in Recipes

Stomach Acid is Good for You!

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If you have been watching television in the past decade you have seen the commercials. People suffering from heartburn and indigestion are magically cured by taking a little purple pill that combats the evil effects of stomach acid. No need to change your diet or other habits. Just pop a pill and everything will be ok. Just don’t pay too much attention to the list of possible side effects at the end of the commercial.

Acid blocking medications are the number one selling drugs in the United States accounting for annual sales of more than $13 billion a year. Once only available by prescription they are now available over the counter at your local drug store. With so many people buying drugs to combat stomach acid you would think that it was a horrible thing that we would want to get rid of. Thank goodness we have all of these options, whatever did we do before?

However, there here is another side to this conversation. For the majority of people, the symptoms of heartburn and acid reflux are typically not caused by an over production of stomach acid. In fact, the majority of people suffering from heartburn and reflux actually have low production of stomach acid In addition, suppression of stomach acid can have long[1]term adverse consequences.

How can this be? Stomach acid is produced by cells that line the stomach. The production is increased in response to food and begins the process of breaking down the meal you just ate. The stomach acid is hydrochloric acid; the same hydrochloric acid that you used in high school chemistry class and that can burn a whole in metal. In order to prevent the acid from burning a hole in the lining of the stomach, the cells that line the stomach produce a layer of mucous that protects the lining and allow the acid to do its job.

When you experience heartburn or reflux some of the stomach acid finds it way up into your esophagus. While your stomach has a nice protective coating, your esophagus does not. So, when the acid accidentally comes up into the esophagus you experience a burning sensation.

At the bottom of the esophagus is a gate called the lower esophageal sphincter (LES). The LES is designed to allow food and liquids to enter the stomach from above, but should prevent the contents of the stomach from coming back up into the esophagus. A number of things can decrease the effectiveness of the LES including smoking, obesity, food allergies, and low stomach acid. When the acid production. is decreased it is more likely for acid to find its way back into your esophagus and cause you pain and discomfort.

Taking an antacid such as Tums, a proton pump inhibitor such as Prilosec, or an H2 blocker such as Zantac do work to decrease the symptoms of heartburn. The proton pump inhibitors are able to suppress stomach acid production by greater than 90%. With very little stomach acid in the stomach there is little chance of the acid finding its way up into the esophagus and so you don’t get reflux or heart burn. The drawback is that you are left without stomach acid.

With low levels of stomach acid you are not able to adequately digest the food that you eat and are more likely to have gastrointestinal issues such as heartburn, reflux, irritable bowel syndrome, diarrhea, constipation, gastritis, gall bladder disease and paradoxically heartburn and reflux. Low stomach acid is also associated with an increase in overgrowth of the small intestine with problematic bacteria. In addition to gastrointestinal dysfunctions, low stomach acid production is also associated with increased risk of numerous disease states outside the gastrointestinal tract including asthma, food Allergies, pneumonia, rheumatoid arthritis (and other autoimmune conditions), depression, rosacea, eczema, anemia.

So next time you are experiencing heartburn, instead of cursing stomach acid and reaching for a pill, think about why you might be having heartburn and work on fixing the underlying cause as opposed to using a treatment that may cause more harm than good. For my tips on preventing heartburn, click here.

Posted in Gastrointestinal Health, General Health

How to Prevent Heartburn this Summer

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Summer is a time for barbecues, picnics, and quick and easy meals. It can also be a time of increased heartburn. The term “heartburn” is a misnomer. The sensation of burning around the diaphragm has nothing to do with the heart. This sensation occurs when stomach acid moves up into the esophagus (it’s supposed to stay in the stomach!) This is a very common complaint in today’s society affecting over 60 million Americans.

For more about the importance of stomach acid and the actual causes of heartburn, see my previous post “Stomach Acid is Good for You!”

Here are a few tips to help you stay heartburn free this summer (or any time of the year.)

  • Don’t rush when you eat. By slowing down and eating in a more mindful way you will enhance your body’s digestive abilities and be less likely to overeat. Taking 5 deep breaths before eating can help to put your body in a more relaxed state, ready to digest.
  • Avoid trigger foods. If you are prone to heartburn avoid foods that may exacerbate it including fatty foods, coffee, chocolate, mint, sugar, alcohol, citrus fruits, spicy foods, and dairy products.
  • Wear loose-fitting clothes. Tight fitting clothes can place added pressure on the stomach and exacerbate heartburn.
  • Use digestive bitters. Combinations of bitter herbs have been used to aid digestion for centuries. Digestive bitter formulas can help to stimulate digestion and decrease the occurrence of heartburn when taken before the meal. The best results occur when the bitters are taken in a small amount of room temperature water, 10 to 15 minutes before the meal.  You can buy my favorite digestive bitters through the online dispensary Fullscript by clicking here.
  • Elevate your head when you sleep. Elevating the head of your bed by six inches can help gravity keep the acid in its place. Studies have shown that for those suffering from nighttime reflux, this simple solution can be more effective than antacids or acid suppressing medications.
  • Chew DGL tablets. If you do experience reflux, try chewing a couple deglycyrrhiziated licorice (DGL) tablets before reaching for the antacid. DGL helps to coat the esophagus and stop the burning sensation without suppressing acid production. For best results, the DGL tablets should be chewed well before swallowing. Chew two DGL tablets either right before or right after your meal.  If you experience nighttime heartburn, you can also chew two tablets before bed.  You can buy my favorite DGL through the online dispensary Fullscript by clicking here.

If after trying these solutions you are still experiencing heartburn, call to schedule an appointment with Dr. Knight to help determine the underlying causes of your heartburn so that you can get lasting relief without long term negative effects.

Posted in Gastrointestinal Health, General Health

Cooling the Flames of Chronic Inflammation

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We are all familiar with inflammation. The redness, pain, and swelling that accompany a sunburn, a cut, a sprained ankle or a cold cause us short term discomfort but are signs that our bodies immune and repair functions are working well. These kinds of inflammation are good, and we need them to survive. They go on for only a finite period of time and then resolve. The problem occurs when the body is exposed to chronic inflammation over long periods of time. An overactive immune response and too much inflammation can result in conditions we associate with inflammation such as allergies, arthritis, asthma, and autoimmune conditions such as lupus and rheumatoid arthritis. In addition, inflammation can be at the root of chronic health conditions such as heart disease, obesity, diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease, depression, and some forms of cancer. While acute forms of inflammation such as a cut or chronic inflammation such as joint pain can be obvious, in many cases we may be having chronic inflammation without even noticing it. This smoldering fire, if left unchecked, can go on for years before we develop an obvious disease state. Some of the causes of this hidden inflammation are:

  • Food allergies/sensitivities
  • Diets high in refined carbohydrates and sugar
  • Diets high in processed foods
  • Diets high in “bad” fats such as trans-fats and excess saturated fat and low in “healthy” fats such as those that come from cold water fish and flaxseed.
  • Chronic environmental allergies such as mold and dust mites
  • Toxic exposures
  • Chronic viral, bacterial, or fungal infections
  • Stress

Because chronic low-grade inflammation is not always obvious, it can be difficult to figure out the cause and to make changes to decrease it before it has effects on your overall health. Fortunately, there is a blood test that can be done called HS-CRP or high sensitivity C-reactive protein that can indicate whether or not chronic inflammation is an issue for you. If your HS-CRP level is elevated, the next step is to make dietary and lifestyle changes that help to decrease inflammation such as:

  • Eat whole foods, minimally processed diet.
  • Limit intake of dairy products and when you do consume them, make sure they are organic.
  • Limit intake of animal products and choose grass fed, free range and wild game meats when you do eat it.
  • Include wild cold-water fish such as Alaskan salmon, halibut, mackerel, and sardines into your diet.
  • Limit foods containing refined sugar and refined carbohydrates. Avoid foods containing high fructose corn syrup.
  • Avoid foods containing hydrogenated oils or transfats.
  • Choose omega 3 eggs from chickens that have been fed flax seeds.
  • Include oils in your diet that are high in omega 3 fatty acids such as flax seed, walnut, and pumpkin.
  • seed.
  • Include anti-inflammatory spices in your cooking such as ginger, turmeric, curry powder, garlic, onions, and cinnamon.
  • Include at least 5 servings of vegetables in your diet each day, including anti-inflammatory options such as broccoli, beets, kale, cauliflower, chard, and sweet potatoes.
  • Take dietary supplements that help to decrease chronic inflammation such as curcumin, black seed, and fish oil.  You can order these through the online dyspensary Fullscript.

In addition, it may be necessary to investigate the underlying causes of inflammation such as food allergies/ sensitivities, environmental allergies and toxicities, nutritional insufficiencies, or chronic infections. Discovering the cause of the “fire” can help you to be able to put it out and decrease your risk of developing a number of chronic diseases.

I can help to investigate if you are having chronic inflammation, what is causing it and develop an individualized health plan to help to decrease inflammation and help you on the path towards optimal health. Call today for more information or to schedule an appointment.

Order supplements through my Fullscript store.

Posted in General Health

More Summer Recipes from the Omnivore’s Delight Archive

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Tomato Salad

Ingredients:

  • 2 ½ pounds ripe tomatoes, preferably of different colors coarsely chopped
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 clove garlic minced or pressed
  • ¼ tsp red pepper flakes
  • ¼ tsp fresh ground pepper
  • 1 cup fresh basil leaves

Mix tomatoes with salt, place in a colander and allow to drain for 15 minutes.

Combine olive oil, vinegar, pepper flakes, oregano, and pepper in a small jar. Shake well to combine.

Place tomatoes and basil in a bowl. Drizzle with enough dressing to coat tomatoes evenly.  Adjust seasoning as necessary.

This salad is great on its own, or can be served with fresh mozzarella and stale crusty bread chunks to make the Italian salad panzanella.

Melitzanosalata

Ingredients:

  • 2 large eggplants
  • 3 tbsp fresh lemon juice
  • 3 medium cloves garlic minced
  • ½ cup olive oil
  • ½ cup chopped parsley
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • A dash of tobacco (optional)

Preheat oven to 400.  Using a fork, poke holes all over the outside of the eggplant.  Place on a baking sheet and roast for 30 to 40 minutes, until soft.  Remove from oven and allow to cool enough to handle.

Cut eggplants in half lengthwise and scoop contents into bowl of a food processor. Add garlic, lemon juice, and olive oil and pulse several times to combine.  Add parsley, a pinch of salt and pepper and process until combined.  Adjust seasoning.  Can be served with mixed greens as a salad or as a dip or spread.

Verdure a Scapece

  • 1 medium eggplant
  • 4 bell peppers, preferably red, yellow, and orange
  • 2 zucchini (1.5 pounds)
  • ¼ cup olive oil, plus more for brushing the vegetables.
  • ¼ cup balsamic or white wine vinegar
  • 2 garlic cloves minced
  • 2 oil-packed anchovies, chopped
  • 1.5 tbsp fresh mint or oregano, minced

Combine olive oil, vinegar, garlic, anchovies, and mint in a small bowl or jar and mix until well combined

Cut eggplant and zucchini into slices about ½ inch thick.  Cut each pepper in half lengthwise, removing and discarding the membranes and seeds. Cut each half in half again.

Prepare a medium hot charcoal or gas grill, or preheat the oven broiler.  Brush eggplant and zucchini slices lightly with olive oil and grill on each side for 5 minutes, or until the slices are dark brown on both sides.  If using broiler, broil directly under element for 5 minutes on each side or until dark brown on each side.  Remove to a deep dish or platter.

Place pepper halves skin side down on grill or skin side up under broiler.  Cook until the peppers are slightly blackened and the skin is starting to blister. Remove to platter with eggplant and zucchini.

Pour dressing over hot vegetables, cover, and set aside at room temperature to marinate for at least two hours before serving.  Can be refrigerated overnight.  Bring to room temperature before serving.

Stuffed Zucchini

Ingredients:

  • 4 medium zucchini (about 8oz each) washed
  • Salt and pepper to season
  • Olive oil for brushing
  • Filling (see recipe below)

Adjust oven rack to upper middle position and second oven rack to lowest position.  Place a rimmed baking sheet on the lowest rack and heat oven to 400.

Halve each zucchini lengthwise.  With a small spoon scoop out seeds and most of the flesh so that the walls are ¼ inch thick.  Season the cut side with salt and pepper and brush with olive oil.  Place zucchini halves cut side down on hot baking sheet.  Return to oven and roast until zucchini are slightly softened and the skins are wrinkled, about 10 minutes.

Fill each half with filling using about a ½ cup of filling.  Top with either grated cheese or pine nut topping (see below).  Return baking sheet to oven, this time to the upper middle rack and bake for about 6 more minutes, until golden brown on top.

Mushroom Quinoa Filling

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup quinoa, rinsed
  • 2 cups vegetable broth
  • ½ medium onion, chopped
  • 8 crimini mushrooms, coarsely chopped
  • 6 fresh sage leaves, finely chopped
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • Pepper to taste
  • ¼ cup chopped fresh chives

Heat oil in medium saucepan over medium high heat.  Add onions and sauté until soft.  Add mushrooms and salt and continue to sauté until mushrooms are softened.  Stir in sage leaves.  Add quinoa and broth.  Raise heat to high and bring to a boil.  Lower heat to low, cover, and allow to simmer for 15 minutes.  Remove from heat and keep covered for 5 minutes.  Stir in chives, pepper, and additional salt if needed.

Pine Nut Topping

Ingredients:

  • ½ cup pine nuts
  • 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
  • 4 fresh sage leaves finely chopped.
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • A few grinds of fresh pepper

Place all ingredients in food processor and grind until it becomes a fine powder.

Posted in Recipes

Cruciferous Vegetable Recipes from the Omnivore’s Delight Archive

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Broccoli Slaw

Ingredients:

  • 4 broccoli stalks peeled and ends cut off.
  • 1 medium carrot, ends removed.
  • 4 cups shredded red cabbage (about 1/3 of a medium cabbage)
  • 1 small red onion, minced.
  • 1 shallot, coarsely chopped
  • 2 medium cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
  • ¼  cup apple cider vinegar
  • 1/3  cup grape seed oil
  • ½ Tbsp honey
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ¼ tsp fresh ground pepper
  • ½ cup pine nuts

Heat oven to 300 degrees.  Spread pine nuts out on cookie sheet.  Bake until lightly toasted, 7-10 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent burning.  Remove from oven and let cool.

Using a grater, shred broccoli stalks and carrot into a large bowl.  Add cabbage and onion and mix to combine. 

Put shallot, garlic, olive oil, vinegar, honey, salt, and pepper in food processor.  Process until smooth, about 30 seconds.

Pour dressing onto broccoli-cabbage mixture.  Add pine nuts and toss to coat evenly with dressing.  Cover and place in refrigerator for at least 2 hours before serving.

Curry Roasted Cauliflower

Ingredients:

  • 1 large cauliflower cut into medium florets.
  • 3 Tbsp olive oil
  • 1 Tbsp curry powder
  • ¼  tsp salt.

Preheat oven to 425.

Place cauliflower in a large bowl.  Drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle with curry powder and salt. Toss until evenly coated.  Pour cauliflower onto a roasting pan in a single layer. Roast, stirring occasional until golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes. 

White Bean and Kale Soup

Ingredients:

  • 3 15 oz cans of Cannellini beans drained and rinsed
  • 4 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 medium onion, diced,
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 large carrot, dices
  • ¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped
  • 1 Tbsp fresh sage leaves, chopped
  • ½ tsp dried thyme
  • 4 cups chicken or vegetable stock
  • 1 bunch kale (preferably lancenato or dino kale) leaves removed from stems and chopped
  • 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
  • ½ tsp salt, plus more for taste
  • Water if necessary for thinning

In a large saucepan, heat 2 tbsp olive oil over medium heat.  Add onions, carrot, garlic, and salt. Sauté until softened 7 to 10 minutes.  Add parsley, sage, and thyme.  Continue to sauté for another minute. 

Add the beans and stock to the pot.  Bring to a simmer cover and allow to simmer for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat 2 Tbsp olive oil in a large fry pan over medium heat.  Add kale and sauté until leaves begin to wilt.  Drizzle with balsamic vinegar and a pinch of salt.  Stir and remove from heat.

Using a hand blender puree bean mixture until smooth.  Add cooked kale to soup.  Taste and adjust seasoning with salt or more balsamic vinegar as necessary.  If constancy is too thick add a little bit of water until desired consistence is achieved.

Arugula Pesto

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups arugula leaves, rinsed and dried
  • 1 clove garlic, peeled and coarsely chopped
  • 2 tbsp. chopped walnut
  • 1 tbsp. lemon juice
  • 1 tsp. lemon zest
  • ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
  • Salt

Combine the arugula, a pinch of salt, garlic, nuts, and about half of the olive oil in a food processor or blender.  Process  until smooth, scraping down the sides as necessary.  Check consistency.  Add more oil and process again until desired consistency is reached.  Add more salt if necessary.

Arugula pesto is great on cooked grains, chicken, salmon and cooked or raw vegetables.

Posted in Detoxification, Recipes

Time for a Spring Cleanup!

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If you think you may be carrying around a toxic burden, there is some good news. Making some simple diet and lifestyle changes can have a big impact on decreasing your exposure and increasing your body’s ability to mobilize and get rid of toxins.

 Several easy ways to increase your body’s natural elimination of toxins are:

  • Stay well hydrated: Drinking a minimum of 64oz of water a day is important for helping to flush toxins out through the kidneys.
  • Have regular bowel movements: One of the prime routes for toxins to leave our bodies is through the bowels. Constipation leads to impaired elimination and actually increases the reuptake of toxins from the gut. Staying well hydrated, getting regular exercise, and getting plenty of fiber in your diet can help make sure that you are having one to two bowel movements a day. If you are suffering from constipation, make an appointment with me today so that we can improve your elimination!
  • Exercise regularly: Moving your body helps to keep the lymph and circulation moving which helps to flush toxins out of your tissues.
  • Eat cruciferous vegetables: Cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, and kale have compounds in them that help to promote proper detoxification.
  • Drink green tea: Green tea contains compounds that help to mobilize toxins from fat and helps to make sure that those toxins get excreted in your stools. Two cups a day is a great place to start.
  • Eat more fiber: The consumption of both soluble and insoluble fibers have been shown to increase the excretion of numerous toxins In addition it helps to prevent constipation and can optimize your gut ecology.  Good sources of fiber include whole grains, fruits, vegetables and legumes.

Several easy ways to minimize your toxic exposure are:

  • Avoid Fish High in Mercury: While the right fish can be a healthy part of the diet and a good source of omega-3 fatty acids the wrong fish can be a major source for the heavy metal mercury. Fish with the highest mercury levels include tuna, tilefish, swordfish, and sea bass. Alaskan salmon, sardines, shrimp, tilapia, soul, and haddock tend to be low in mercury. A pocket guide to mercury levels in fish can be downloaded at: www.nrdc.org/health/effects/mercury/walletcard.PDF
  • Avoid Farm Raised Salmon: Farm raised salmon can be contaminated with high levels of PVBs, dioxins and chlorinated pesticides. If it doesn’t say that it is wild Pacific or Alaskan salmon don’t eat it! In general, if it is labeled as Atlantic salmon, it is farmed salmon.
  • Use a water filter in the kitchen and shower: City water supplies and well water are often contaminated with low levels of lead and other heavy metals, chlorine, as well as pesticide and other environmental toxin residues. In the shower, these toxins can become aerosolized and breathed in.
  • Eat organic foods: Our food supply is full of pesticides, herbicides, hormones, and antibiotics. By choosing clean foods it helps to reduce our exposure to toxic compounds. The Environmental Working Groups Dirty Dozen and Clean Fifteen lists can be helpful in trying to determine what fruits and vegetables you should purchase organically. Because animals accumulate and concentrate the toxins that they are exposed to, I advise minimizing your intake of animal products and when you do eat them, make sure that they are organic. The Environmental Working Group’s Dirty Dozen and Clean Fifteen lists can be found here: EWG’s 2024 Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides in Produce
  • Leave your shoes at the door: Shoes get covered with all of the pollutants outside and when worn inside track them all in increasing our exposure. This is particularly important in households with children who may be spending a lot of time on the floor. Skip the dry cleaning: The solvents used in dry cleaning are highly toxic and have been found to be elevated in homes for over 48 hours after the clothes were brought inside. A new process known as wet cleaning is far less toxic and works just as well. There are cleaners in most areas that offer this. If you do have clothes dry cleaned let them air out in the garage or outside for forty-eight hours before bringing them into the house.
  •  Don’t use nonstick pans: Nonstick pans give off a compound called Polyfluoroalkyl chemicals (PFCs) which cause neurological and thyroid impairment and are associated with increased risk of ADHD and high cholesterol.
  • Fill your house with house plants: Plants in your house can help to clean the air of potentially harmful toxins.  According to research by NASA, the top plants for cleaning the air in your house include English ivy, philodendrons, spider plant, golden pothos, gerbera daisy, chrysanthemums, Boston fern, corn plant, dracaena, Ficus and rubber trees.

Following some of these recommendations will go a long way towards helping to decrease your toxic load. In addition, periodically embarking on a focused detoxification program can help give the liver a break and allow it to catch up on clearing your toxic load. In cases of more severely impaired detoxification or elevated toxic load, a more comprehensive detoxification program may be necessary. In addition, it is important to make sure that you are detoxifying at a rate that your body can handle to avoid a potential worsening of your symptoms.

To determine if you may have an increased toxic load, complete the Detoxification Questionnaire.

 Dr. Knight can help you to customize a safe and effective detoxification program that is appropriate for you. Call today for more information or to schedule an appointment to begin your journey to a cleaner you!

Posted in Detoxification, General Health

Are You Toxic?

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If you breathe air, drink water, or eat food, the answer to this question is likely yes.

 It is an unfortunate fact that all of us have toxins in our bodies. A study by the Environmental working group tested individuals for 210 environmental toxins. The study subjects had on average 91 of the 210 toxic compounds in their bodies. They were found to have on average 53 compounds linked to increased cancer risk, 62 compounds known to be toxic to the nervous system, 55 compounds that are known to impair immune function, and 58 toxins known to be toxic to our hormonal systems.

Many of the chemicals tested are fat soluble. This means that they do not easily leave the body, but instead are stored in our fat tissue. Through exposures from our food, air, water and daily living, the levels of these toxins increase over time, leading to an increased toxic load.

While in some cases our bodies are able to deal with the toxic burden unaided, often times that is not the case. When this occurs, it can have damaging effects on our health causing symptoms such as fatigue, depression, memory problems, headaches, tremors and balance issues, weight gain or difficulty losing weight, and hormonal imbalances.

An increased toxic burden is associated with increased risk for allergies, asthma, diabetes, chemical sensitivities, fibromyalgia, autoimmune diseases, neurological conditions such as Parkinson’s, and certain cancers.

Luckily, by limiting further exposure, supporting the body’s ability to process and get rid of toxins, and helping to repair damage done by previous exposure it is possible to minimize the negative risks associated with our increased toxic burden and improve conditions that have been caused by our toxic burden. To find out if toxins or impaired detoxification may be contributing to your symptoms or preventing you from achieving optimal health complete the Detoxification Questionnaire or schedule an appointment with Dr. Knight.

Posted in Detoxification, General Health

Love Your Liver

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Have you thanked your liver today?

Our livers are pretty amazing organs. One of their many roles is to metabolize compounds that can have toxic effects and convert them into a form that can be easily excreted from the body. Back in preindustrial days, these toxins mainly consisted of the breakdown products of hormones and neurotransmitters as well as naturally occurring toxic compounds in the foods that we ingest. Over the past 100 years they have had to rapidly adapt as our modern industrial society exposes us to more and more toxic compounds. The word “toxin” itself does not describe a specific class of compounds, but rather something that can cause harm to the body. More specifically, a toxin or toxic substance is a chemical or mixture that may injure or present an unreasonable risk of injury to the health of an exposed organism. Some examples of toxins include industrial chemicals and combustion pollutants, pesticides, toxic elements, food additives, plastic byproducts, metabolites of our own hormones and neurotransmitters, and pharmaceutical medications.

 To give the liver an even greater challenge, most toxins are fat soluble, which makes it harder for them to be excreted in the urine, sweat, and feces. It also makes it easier for them to find their way into our cells. In order to try to get rid of them, the liver (primarily) has a complex system of enzymes that help convert these fat-soluble compounds into water soluble compounds that can more easily be excreted. There is a great deal of genetic variability in how this system works. In some people this process occurs more slowly while in others it happens more quickly. This partially explains why one person can drink a cup of coffee in the morning and be up all night while the next person is not affected.

Most toxins have to go through a two-step process in order to be able to be excreted from the body. Our nutrition can have a big effect on how well this two-step process works. Certain foods and compounds slow parts of it down while others speed it up. When things are out of balance the process can go awry and even more damaging compounds can be produced.

By supporting the detoxification pathways with proper nutrition and focused nutritional supplementation, we can help to increase the efficiency and safety of how the body detoxifies compounds, helping to lower our overall toxic load and decreasing the potential damage to our health.

Posted in Detoxification, General Health
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