My diet & detox journal

What I am about to share is my history~
Perhaps it may surprise you, but I believe that we are all wounded healers…

As readers of my blog and friends and family know, for many years (in particular my late teens and early twenties) I was plagued with semi-hypochondria and misunderstanding of the normal functions of my own body. I’m clear that much of this may have been rooted in fear of the unknown, as I was more of a fan of social science, rather than biology and anatomy. It is also likely due to the fact that many of my grandparents suffered from chronic disease and were ill or passed away during those formative years. There was my father’s experience as described below, and add to that my sister’s ulcerative colitis, and my own process of dealing with what was eventually diagnosed as PolyCystic Ovarian Syndrome and irritable bowel syndrome. Putting it all together, you can imagine how difficult it was for me to feel comfortable with general wellness.

I think that the clearest connection I can make to when things started going ’strange’ in my mind was back in 1989, the winter when my father was diagnosed with cancer. He fought it, and won, and over the past 18 years since my father first won his battle with malignant cells in his colon, I’ve spent countless hours counting the blessings of having healthy family members, but fearing my own mortality.

In truth, there is nothing like the reality of life to remind you how precious each day really is. Back in the late 1980s, when I first learned of Dad’s issue, I was unprepared with how to deal with it, or the considerations it would bring up in terms of my own health and wellbeing. Not only did I become significantly obsessed with the prevention of illness, I managed to do the same for every member of my family, at times whether they wished me to do so, or not! However, my father’s subsequent conquering of his colon ills, and his journey to wellness was something that inspired me on my own journey to use natural health care as a means of finding a holistic and healthful way to find peace.

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I was pondering a few questions today following a webscussion I took part in on a cleansing forum. So, what’s the relationship between cleansing/detox and rejuvenation? Does one need to take a cleanse with a rejuvenating product as well? Can diet be sufficient? Does a raw food or whole food diet give us all we need?

I wrote an article on this topic, which you can find here on my weblog. This is something that we talk a lot about at work, having recently launched some newer product which is incidentally called ‘Renew’. Products which support our body’s nutrient intake, both vitamin, mineral, as well as additional micronutrients like amino acids and essential fatty acids are key to the process of rejuvenation. You can find lots of quality product out there, but is it essential is what I asked myself.

HEre’s my two cents on this question. Even though I do, for my full time job represent a manufacturer of dietary supplements, one which is particularly sucessful selling cleansing products and kits, I don’t believe that its necessarily a PRODUCT that’s key to the cleansing and detoxification process, otherwise for centuries, how did our ancestors cleanse, detoxify and rejuvenate.

As a digestive care educator and cleansing advocate, my feeling is that a healthy diet is crucial to the detoxification process. On the other hand, diet OR dietary supplements can provide your body the tools it needs to cleanse, and in particular, STRENGTHEN our system so that we are better able to cope with what the environment and lifestyle we lead throws at us.

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When researching the satiety index of fiber containing foods for a project at work today, I found a fantastic article (click to read) which outlines (in laymans’ terms) how fibrous foods increase the satiety hormones in the body. The article addresses CCK, which is ‘choleocystokinin’, a hormone produced in the small intestine, that stimulates both bile release from the gallbladder, and pancreatic enzyme release from the pancreas. This will assist the body to digest proteins and fats. Additionally, CCK has been shown to mediate hunger, as it will promote satiety as well.

Referencing a study of the affects of various foods on our CCK levels, (by Suzanne Holt, Ph.D. professor of biochemistry at the University of Sydney in Australia,) white potatoes top the list! That’s not to say that white potatoes should be considered more healthful, but it does point out that whole foods can have benefits beyond just their ‘glycemic index.’ Here is a brief outline of the top CCK producing foods according to Ms. Holt’s study:

Foods & the ingredient which stimulates CCK Release
Potatoes - Contains Pot-II protein
Fish - High in protein
Oatmeal - High in soluble fiber
Oranges - High in pectin
Apples - High in pectin
Brown Pasta - High in soluble fiber
Beef - High in protein
Baked Beans - High in soluble fiber
Grapes - High in pectin
Whole-Grain Bread  - High in soluble fiber

“A satiety index of common foods. Holt SH; Miller JC; Petocz P; et al Eur J Clin Nutr (England), Sep 1995, 49(9) p675-90 ”

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