Five useful tips to lose weight swimming and help boost your cardiovascular fitness while burning a significant amount of calories with minimal impact.
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You read that right. Your body has the natural ability to get rid of toxins without the need for extreme diets or expensive supplements (looking at you, detox tea brands).
Let’s break it down! Firstly, it’s important to know that your body is naturally detoxifying all day. You are a self-cleaning machine and, in a healthy state, able to process normal amounts of toxins. In fact, your liver is the most important detoxification machine. It’s made to do this—unless your liver is packed full of fat, sugar or alcohol, it should keep doing its job well.
The fat in your liver is on a one-way street. It can get in, but it can never get out. Even if you lose body weight, the fat in your liver will stay. If you drink alcohol, that can add more fat to your liver.
Next is understanding that toxins in your body come in two forms: endotoxins, the by-products your body makes and exotoxins that come from outside your body. Is it any surprise that you’re exposed to hundreds of worrying chemicals as you go about your daily lives? Many of these toxins don’t flush out of your body easily—the most common are:
For a list of products and ingredients to avoid as well as tips for men, women and teens from the Environmental Working Group, click here.
You can’t completely avoid toxic substances when they’re so all-pervasive in modern life: if you refuse that Styrofoam takeout carton, your food will probably be wrapped in PFAS-coated paper instead. You can banish plastic from your fridge and purge your body products, but when you go to the office you’ll probably be sitting in a chair doused in flame retardants.
That said, you can take small but powerful steps to limit your daily exposure to worrying chemicals. Detox doesn’t always have to be restrictive or even something you’re obliged to do from time to time.
It’s something you can easily do every day which answers the question if a daily detox is good for you—yes to a natural detox with sustainable daily practices and no to pseudo-medical concepts designed as the perfect antidote to fast-food lifestyles and alcohol-lubricated social lives.
And remember, one size doesn’t fit all. Everyone reacts differently to foods, body products, toxins, pollutants and exercise. The best way to detox is to embrace a lifestyle that is entirely balanced.
1. Choose organic food when possible. Learn which conventional fruits and veggies are highest and lowest in pesticides.
2. Avoid plastic especially if it comes into contact with food such as packaging and takeout boxes. Opt for glass or stainless steel containers and beeswax wraps instead, also never microwave food in a plastic container.
3. Use natural household and body hygiene products. If you want to know what chemicals are in your personal care products, click here.
4. Avoid alcohol and consume less sugar and processed foods. Eating a colourful diet rich in plants containing precious nutrients such as phytochemicals, minerals, vitamins and fibres can help support your detox process, more on this below.
5. Meditate at least 10 minutes a day with some breathwork exercises to help detoxify through the lungs, also maintain a regular exercise schedule to keep your lymphatic system moving.
6. Get your sweat on! Infrared saunas can help to promote a deep, healthy and natural detoxifying sweat.
7. Intermittent fasting can help ignite your body’s detoxing process, assist in weight loss and fat burning! Periods of fasting stimulate cells to cannibalize, known as autophagy which is your body’s natural ability to clean out and recycle cells that are no longer functioning properly.
8. Clean up your air: Did you know that indoor air is two to five times more polluted than outdoor air? More time at home means it’s more important than ever to assess your home and furniture for toxins like flame retardants and PVC. The Environmental Working Group’s Healthy Home Guide lists potential home toxin sources and how to find healthier alternatives.
9. Skin Brushing: Like the circulatory system, the lymphatic system plays a fundamental role in removing metabolic waste and toxins. Using a natural bristle long-handled brush, start at your feet and brush your skin in a sweeping motion up your legs. Continue brushing the skin of your legs, arms and torso, always sweeping towards the heart.
10. Get eight hours of sleep between the hours of 10 PM to 6 AM and avoid eating three hours before sleep as this is when your body does the most detoxification. Remember to drink at least two litres of water per day and ensure the water that you are drinking is as pure as nature intended.
The idea of a quick fix sounds appealing, but engaging in lifelong healthier habits really is the best way to cleanse and strengthen your body. The natural detoxification approach works every time, every day and, best of all, without pain. And that’s the purest feeling of all. So say goodbye to feeling sluggish and start your daily detox!
References
This article is written by Ashlyne Nair
Many of the choices you make every 24 hours, big or small, can impact your health—meaning the power to feel better, look better, and live a better life is in your hands. So why not start with your gut health?
Looking after your gut health does not mean complicated or boring food – it’s all about what you add in. Here’s how to improve your digestive system all day long, beginning first thing in the morning.
Instead of falling victim to the AM social media scroll or the pressure of a full inbox, practice a meditation or breathwork exercise. Even a quick five minutes can calm your nervous system and regulate cortisol (the stress hormone that’s the enemy of a healthy gut), and help you start your day on a balanced and positive note.
In Ayurveda, “agni” is the digestive fire in your body that needs to be rekindled first thing in the morning to help boost your energy levels and clear the mind (2). The key here is temperature. Cold foods slow your digestive system but hot or warm keeps everything moving at a healthy pace. When you wake up parched, choose a cup of warm/hot water instead of an iced latte to stimulate “agni” and kickstart your daily dose of hydration. As the warm water moves through your stomach and intestines, digestive organs are better hydrated and able to eliminate waste.
Even when you’re busy, don’t be tempted to rely on coffee alone or skip breakfast. Choose a breakfast that’s light and easy, but still packs in lots of nutrients. A delicious bowl of Bircher muesli from Booster Deli and Café (click here to check out our mouth-watering plant-based breakfast menu) is filled with complex carbohydrates, protein, omega fats and essential minerals that will help fire up the digestive system, eliminate bloat and regulate cravings.
A few minutes of sun exposure in the morning can help regulate melatonin levels and set you up for a good night’s sleep later on which is key in maintaining the natural cycle of your gut microbiota, the wonderfully complex community of trillions of microbes that live in your digestive tract (3).
Every meal is an opportunity to focus on abundance. Inclusion rather than exclusion is the aim of the game for a happy gut. Make sure you’re getting enough of the good stuff by filling your plate with as many different plant foods as you can.
Tip: Just as the liquid olive goodness of extra virgin olive oil can benefit your brain and heart health, it gives your gut microbiota some love too (3).
If you want to maximise the diversity of your gut microbiota, avoid restrictive eating patterns, enjoy your grains and fill up on fibre. Most guidelines recommend getting 30g of fibre a day, but remember when you’re increasing, go slow and steady – and make sure you’re staying hydrated to help the fibre work its microbial magic.
Here is a list of the most powerful fibre fuelled foods by best-selling author and gastroenterologist Dr. Will Bulsiewicz, conveniently organized into an acronym to make them easy to remember(1).
F GOALS
F: Fruit & Fermented
G: Greens & Grains
O: Omega-3 Super Seeds
A: Aromatics (onions, garlic)
L: Legumes
S: Sulforaphane (broccoli sprouts and other cruciferous veggies)
Spend a lot of your day in front of a screen? Consider blue-light-blocking glasses or a screen filter to protect you from that artificial glow, which can disrupt your circadian rhythm and adversely affect your sleep. And yes, we really can’t stress enough the important of sleep for your gut health!
Before you call it a day, make it a priority to move. You’ve heard a million reasons to exercise regularly before but did you know that as well as helping with issues like constipation, moving your body is linked to having a more diverse gut microbiota (3)? Find the form of movement that brings you joy and get your heart rate up for at least 30 minutes most days to reap the gastrointestinal benefits.
A cup of herbal tea serves dual purposes because not only can it quell late-night sweet cravings, but if you choose one with soothing herbs like chamomile and lavender, it will also encourage a restful state.
Kombucha is a great option when you want something healthy and fizzy to tame your soda craving. This bubbly drink typically packs fewer calories and sugar since a lot of the sugar gets lost in the fermentation process. That said, ideally, you want to look for kombucha with less than 6 grams of sugar per 230 ml (1).
Try to get 7-9 hours of sleep every night – and if you can wake up and go to sleep at around the same time (give or take 30 minutes), your body will love you for it.
Cut down on unnecessary medications and choose lifestyle tweaks rather than a prescription, where possible. Work on your sleep quality instead of taking sleeping pills – or dial down your alcohol intake, as opposed to taking acid reflux medication (3).
Keep a dark, quiet and cool bedroom, stay away from glowing screens in the hours before bed and avoid caffeine after 3pm. As the day comes full circle, another meditation or breathwork practice can help relax you – and your gut!
Sweet dreams!
References
1. Bulsiewicz, W. (2020). Fiber Fueled: The Plant-Based Gut Health Program for Losing Weight, Restoring Your Health, and Optimizing Your Microbiome (pp. 149 – 151). Penguin Random House LLC.
2. Mischke, M. (2017). The Importance of Healthy Digestion. Retrieved January 20, 2021, from https://www.banyanbotanicals.com/info/ayurvedic-living/living-ayurveda/health-guides/understanding-agni/
3. Rossi, M. (2019). The Gut Health Doctor: An Easy-to-Digest Guide to Health from the Inside Out (pp. 45 – 280). Penguin Life.
This article is written by Ashlyne Nair
Vitamin D supplementation could reduce the risk of influenza and other viral infections of the upper respiratory system.
Did you know that many people only need about 15 minutes of sun three times a week for their bodies to make adequate amounts of vitamin D?
Signs and symptoms might include:
D deficiency can occur when usual intake is lower than recommended levels over time, exposure to sunlight is limited, the kidneys cannot convert activate the inert form (from food and supplement), or absorption of vitamin D from the digestive tract is inadequate.
Deficiency in vitamin D is associated with increased autoimmunity as well as an increased susceptibility to infection. Studies are now being published that provide direct evidence of the effect of vitamin D supplementation on COVID-19 patients, and the association of vitamin D intake and/or status on disease severity and death.
One of the studies found that the administration of 25(OH)D at the early stages of COVID-19 significantly reduced the need for admission to the ICU, regardless of existing comorbidities.
You could end up doing more harm than good if you regularly exceed the dosage in your daily supplement. Taking too many vitamin D supplements over a long period of time can cause more calcium to be absorbed than can be excreted. The excess calcium can be deposited in and damage the kidneys. As always, moderation wins out.
Do you know what your vitamin D level is? Could a D deficiency be putting a damper on your immune response? Be sure to test to find out, and take steps to keep it within a target of 40-60 ng/ml or 100-150 nmol/L.
Give your immune system the nutrients it needs to support a healthy you and protect yourself from unnecessary diseases. Talk to our friendly Lifestyle Clinic team in person for a blood test consultation or email nicole.bravata@thanyapura.com to discuss your options from Vitamin D blood test to injections and oral supplements.
References
This article is a nutritional tip brought to you by Morgane Quinchon, Thanyapura’s Nutrition Manager, Registered Dietitian & Sports Nutrition Advisor.
Edited by Ashlyne Nair
Probiotics work by maintaining a healthy balance of our gut microbiome; they're all for equality!
This balance is easily upset from harmful substances – whether it’s an overload of antibiotics, viruses and accidental or temporary excesses of organic matter – and that’s when we need reinforcements: enter probiotics.
A plethora of conditions, from obesity to anxiety, appear to be linked to the microbes inside us. Ask most people to define microbiome, and a handful might say that it refers to a bacterial ecosystem that lives in a specific place. They may even mention the gut. To put it in layman’s terms, your microbiome is your body’s ecosystem of ‘good’ and ‘bad’ bacteria.
1) Keep your digestion working the way it should
Probiotics will help in digestive issues, candida overgrowth (an imbalance of yeast in the microbiome) and leaky gut. (1)
2) Restore your gut health after taking antibiotics
When you treat an infection with antibiotics, many of your ‘good’ bacteria are killed off along with the bad bacteria. Taking probiotics afterwards will restore the balance and diversity of your gut health. (2)
3) Keep your immune system strong
Probiotics enhance immune function through supporting the regeneration of the intestinal lining, keeping bad bacteria from entering the blood stream, and therefore maintaining the overall health of the immune system. (3)
4) Uplift your mood
Often called the “second brain,” your microbiome has a direct impact on your brain chemistry. Probiotics can have a brain-altering effect through their innate mechanism to produce neurotransmitters such as serotonin, GABA, and acetyl-choline. A diet high in natural probiotics has been proven to improve symptoms of depression. (4)
YOU ARE HOST TO 100,000 BILLION BACTERIA! You host about 430 times more bacteria than the Milky Way hosts stars.
Yes, you are an extraordinary ecosystem.
Rest assured, the vast majority of the 100,000 billion bacteria that live with you also work for your general well-being.
Supplements aren’t the only way to get a daily dose of probiotics. Here is a list of 6 probiotic foods that are super healthy:
References
This article is a nutritional tip brought to you by Morgane Quinchon, Thanyapura’s Nutrition Manager, Registered Dietitian & Sports Nutrition Advisor.
Edited by Ashlyne Nair
If you wish to maintain a consistent active lifestyle, you’ll need to replenish your body from the 3 R’s of recovery to build yourself back up after your training and prepare you for your next one.
Now that you’ve had a chance to skim over the 3 R’s, let’s incorporate them into your post-workout regimen. And if you don’t have the time or appetite for a nutrient dense meal directly after training, recovery shakes are a great option!
Thanyapura’s signature ‘Post-Workout Recovery Shake’ at Booster Deli & Café delivers a delicious and nutritious blend of fruits and vegetables for your post-workout needs. Apple, celery, lime, pineapple, banana, avocado, rice and hemp protein blended with ice for a refreshingly sweet and slightly tangy smoothie to Refuel, Rebuild and Rehydrate.
Stay active and remember to give this recovery shake a try when you’re here next!
This article is a nutritional tip brought to you by Morgane Quinchon, Thanyapura’s Nutrition Manager, Registered Dietitian & Sports Nutrition Advisor.
Edited by Ashlyne Nair
Beetroot (beet) juice can boost your overall performance?
Drinking beet juice raises the nitric oxide levels in your body which helps the inner muscles of your blood vessels to relax and widen. This then enables your blood to move freely, delivering oxygen and nutrients to your whole body more efficiently!
In fact, vegetables high in nitrate – beetroot being at the top – can help to promote healthy blood flow resulting in lowered blood pressure, better brain function, and improved athletic performance.
Beets are a rich source of antioxidants, such as vitamin C, carotenoids, phenolic acids, and flavonoids, along with nitrate. And thanks to its impressive nutritional profile, professional athletes are supplementing with beet juice for improved cardiorespiratory endurance, performance and recovery.
The beautiful beets have come a long way. They are one of the healthiest vegetables you can juice, undoubtedly. A glass of beet juice helps in giving you all the vitamins and minerals in a concentrated form.
It is best to have beet juice early morning or one hour before your breakfast. Here are a couple of delicious and easy ways to add more beets to your diet:
Available at Booster Deli & Café, open every day from 7 AM – 7 PM for dine-in and take-away. You can also pre-order via the link here to cut down on wait time: https://qr.finedinemenu.com/#/divine-restaurant/menu
This article is a nutritional tip brought to you by Morgane Quinchon, Thanyapura’s Nutrition Manager, Registered Dietitian & Sports Nutrition Advisor.
Edited by Ashlyne Nair
It’s well known that taking vitamin C can be one of the most simple and inexpensive ways to support your immune system to prevent illness and shorten the duration of colds and flu. In the wake of the recent spread of coronavirus, many people are wondering what they can do to protect themselves.
The minimum daily recommendation for Vitamin C is about 75mg for adults (the amount in one medium orange) and 15mg -25 mg for children under the age of 12. Under times of stress and to prevent illness, the requirements for Vitamin C increase and higher doses are well tolerated. You will surely know when you have reached your tolerance for vitamin C since the side effect of a larger than needed dose of Vitamin C is diarrhoea. If you get diarrhoea from taking higher doses of vitamin C orally, the dose can be cut back to half the amount you were taking, but it is safe to continue taking it.
Recommendations for higher doses of Vitamin C orally range from 1000-3000mg or more daily in divided doses at the minimum for adults. Vitamin C can be given in higher doses intravenously without getting the side effect of diarrhoea. In most adults, doses of 25-50 Grams can be given in one intravenous treatment. Treatments over 5 grams intravenously require that you have a G6PD level tested before increasing the dose since a person with a deficiency in the G6PD enzyme cannot tolerate high doses of Vitamin C.
In addition to the recommendations for Vitamin C, other supplementation can be considered including, Vitamin D, zinc, selenium, magnesium N-acetyl cysteine (NAC), and mushroom complexes. Another therapy which can help support the immune system is Intravenous Ozone. Ozone, when given intravenously, can stimulate the production of cytokines, which stimulate our other immune cells as well as prevent the replication of viruses by disruption of the viral capsid and increasing oxygen in the body. In other words, ozone is a powerhouse for the immune system.
At Thanyapura Integrative Health Centre, we practice Lifestyle Medicine. We recognize that in order to prevent any virus or illness, we must take measures in our everyday lives to ensure that we have optimum health. In addition to supporting the immune system with supplementation, we cannot overlook the importance of good sleep, (8 hours for adults and up to 10 hours for kids) for the restoration of the immune system. Nutrition is also a key factor. Avoiding sugar, fried foods, and processed foods will help as well as eating plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables. Simple measures such as washing hands and wearing a mask in crowded places can also prevent the spread of the virus. Stay home if you are not feeling well and drink plenty of fluids. It is advised to be screened at the hospital if you develop a fever, especially if you have been potentially exposed to the virus.
The worry of coronavirus can add additional stress no doubt, fortunately, supplementing with Vitamin C has an additional benefit in times of stress. Vitamin C will block the negative effects of cortisol produced by the adrenal glands and offers additional support year-round to keep your immune system robust.
Are you getting your eight hours every night but still feel sleepy throughout the day? If so, you might be one of the millions of people worldwide suffering from a hormone imbalance.
Dr. Pavinee Maneepairoj, a wellness specialist at the Lifestyle Medicine Clinic at Thanyapura Health and Sports Resort recommends that people who feel “tired all the time” get a thorough work up from a physician who understands fatigue management. “Conventional medicine often lacks the time and patience to sift through the issues to get to the root cause of the problem,” she says, “and often discounts the critical that role, exercise, stress and diet play in hormone balance.“
Hormones are the body’s chemical messengers and the endocrine system is the factory that produces them. Hormones regulate everything from sleep to menstruation to mood, and if if you have a hormone imbalance, then chances are your mood, sleep patterns, libido, appetite and energy levels are out of balance too.
One of the most common symptoms of hormone balance is fatigue. According to a report in the New York Times, fatigue was either mislabeled or misdiagnosed up until the 1980s. Today, researchers and doctors alike recognize the correlation between our fast paced, always-on, urban lifestyles and the rise in conditions related to hormone imbalances. Key hormones that affect mood and energy levels include:
Cortisol
This is the body’s stress hormone and having the right balance of cortisol is crucial to keep your energy levels in check. Research published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences found that chronic stress was more likely to blame for cortisol imbalances than a problem with the adrenal glands that produce it. This research clearly points to lifestyle, especially stress, as a culprit for adrenal fatigue.
Thyroid
An overactive or underactive thyroid can often be the underlying cause of fatigue, particularly in women. This hormone controls the body’s metabolism (how food is converted to energy). Just like a car engine, an overactive thyroid will cause you to burn out and an under active thyroid won’t get you started.
Testosterone
Testosterone is best known for its role in developing male sexual characteristics, such as hair growth, muscle mass and libido, but it is produced (in smaller amounts) by women too, and low levels of production have been linked to both fatigue and weight gain.
Estrogen
Estrogen comes in three forms – estrone (E1), estradiol (E2), estriol (E3). Maintaining the correct ratio of these three elements is important for both men and women, although women are more susceptible to estrogen imbalances. Studies have linked low estrogen production to certain types of cancer and heart disease, although more common symptoms include hot flashes, insomnia, painful sex, night sweats and fatigue.
Dr. Pavinee says that fatigue or ‘low energy’ is a common complaint of people these days, and while not life threatening fatigue affects quality of life and should be addressed sooner rather than later.
If you are not feeling your best, make an appointment to visit the Lifestyle Medicine Clinic at Thanyapura Health and Sports Resort.
We are all human. We place value on our health and wellbeing, and strive to live in contentment. Sometimes we get sick and then, hopefully, we get better again. While physical sickness comes in many visible forms, mental sickness can be a much more concealed, conniving and consuming creature.
On 10 October each year, World Mental Health Day sheds light on the stigma that still surrounds the topic of mental health. It provides an opportunity for individuals, groups, and organisations working in the expansive field of mental health to discuss their work and promote the importance of mental health care for people around the world. This year, the World Health Organisation has highlighted Young People and Mental Health in a Changing World as the focus topic.
Regardless of an individual’s background, adolescence and young adulthood is a critical time of transition and change, often bringing with it uncertainty and stress. Events like moving house, changing schools, leaving a familiar area, living away from family for the first time, or even moving to another country can adversely affect a person’s mental wellbeing. For youths living in destabilizing environments resulting from natural disasters or active conflicts, mental wellbeing is particularly at risk. And seeking balance in a world overflowing with technology is an additional cause for concern amongst young people. The pressures that come with social media (striving towards a perceived ideal, cyberbullying, fake friends made online and not enough real life interactions) can have a huge impact on mental wellbeing.
Poor mental health frequently has a knock-on effect for other health and developmental issues in young people, from lower achievement scores due to depression, to hospitalisations as a result of struggling with an eating disorder. Substance abuse can also often go hand in hand with mental illness. This can create a co-occuring disorder situation, where the individual finds themself having to deal with two illnesses at the same time.
According to the World Health Organisation, half of all mental illness begins by aged 14, but the vast majority of cases go undetected or untreated. Suicide is the third leading cause of death in adolescents between the ages of 10-19, and mental health disorders take 2 of the top 5 causes of ‘years lost to disability’ in 10-14 year olds. Mental health is not yet getting the global action it so desperately needs. The shocking reality is that mental health disorders affect 1 in 10 children in countries like the UK, commonly as a direct response to an external event affecting their lives, but up to 70% cases go without treatment.
Thankfully, we are a far cry away from our historical ways of treating mental illness. We no longer label people suffering from a mental illness insane, throwing them into a lunatic asylum where countless lobotomies and electroshock therapies were performed. Our understanding of mental health and psychiatry as a whole continues to develop exponentially, and new treatments are tested every day to aid those that are in need of them. But our collective effort to break down the stigma surrounding mental health still has a long way to go. Public stigma (prejudicial attitudes towards a sufferer) and self-stigma (internalizing those perceptions of prejudice) are still incredibly common, and can prohibit an individual from seeking the help they need.
Schools play an essential role in the development of young people, and many have created strategies to help their students adapt to the pressures of an ever more complicated world. With the mental health of young people considered a global public-health challenge, key skills like adaptability and resilience are important to develop from a young age within the school environment. Some schools have integrated mental health into the curriculum, ensuring that there is a suitable environment where the topic can be discussed and unpacked. Others have developed additional educational components dedicated to social emotional development, which can take on the form of mindfulness practices, group counseling sessions and safe spaces. Many schools are striving towards making the discussion of mental health an open and honest one, and many educators are now receiving basic training in mental health support.
For parents, noticing that their child may be suffering from mental illness can be difficult to determine. Behavioural changes like a lack of motivation, depleted energy levels, avoidance of family and friends, difficulty in concentrating, persistent physical symptoms or bullying others can be key indicators of an undiagnosed mental illness. Ensuring children have a safe environment where trust and open-mindedness are valued is crucial when addressing these issues.
It is important to remember that a person’s mental health can be impacted at any point in their life. Mental illness can arise from unforeseen circumstances like traumatic events, or develop from repeated stresses found in environments like the workplace. Our mental health should be taken just as seriously as our physical health, and we need the support to ask for help when we need it. If you or someone you know is struggling, there are wonderful charities like Mind that can help.