“For the first time in the history of the world, every human being is now subjected to contact with dangerous chemicals, from the moment of conception until death. In the less than two decades of their use, the synthetic pesticides have been so thoroughly distributed throughout the animate and inanimate world that they occur virtually everywhere.”

While this quote sounds like a line from a recent news report, it is actually an excerpt from Rachel Carson’s book Silent Spring published in 1962. Detoxification seems to be a buzz word these days. Just Google detoxification and you will find everything from water detoxification to colon cleanses.

So what is detoxification? In layman’s terms, detoxification is the way our body protects us from things that we take in or that our body makes, which could damage our health. The official definition of detoxification is this: the chemical changes of a xenobiotic, a phytochemical or an endogenous (one your own body makes) compound that renders it less toxic and ready to be excreted. In layman’s terms, detoxification is the way our body protects us from things that we take in that could damage our body.

The ideal situation is toxins in and toxins out, right? If the body is working as designed, then it should be toxins in and toxins out. And how does the body get toxins out? There are many organs that detoxify. The skin (through sweating), kidneys (through urination), but the liver is the most important detox organ. The liver detoxification mechanism involves 2 main processes: Phase I and Phase II detoxification.

Phase I detoxification involves the cytochrome P-450 system in the liver. This is the first line of defense against all toxins. Toxins are tagged and altered for further detoxification, which then occurs in Phase II. Any break down in this process will result in increased toxin load on the body.

We are what we eat, drink, breath, and touch. But did you ever think that we are what we don’t eliminate? Without elimination of the toxic chemicals we take in and produce every day, our bodies swim in a sludge pool of toxins.

This increased toxic load on the body leads to inflammation, the balance between pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory substances. The balance between Omega 6, a pro-inflammatory subtance, and Omega 3, an anti-inflammatory substance, is the perfect example.

It is the chronic imbalance of pro-inflammatory substances that then leads to disease. Shouldn’t the aim of all health care be to prevent inflammation and, therefore, disease? It is in fact, one of our main focuses in the Seasons approach to health and wellness.

Ever wonder if you need to detoxify? My first recommendation is look at and listen to your body. The body will tell you if it is in trouble or imbalanced. How? Physical signs or symptoms are our bodies’ message that all is not right. Here’s how to know if you bodies’ signs and symptoms are saying that you might be suffering from toxic build up. Here are some symptoms of toxin buildup.

Headaches
Muscle aches and pains
Fatigue
Asthma
Allergies
Skin disorders
Chronic infections
Altered mood
Altered cognition
Weight gain
Altered stress tolerance
Altered libido
Infertility

Where do toxins in our bodies come from? And how can you decrease your exposure? Click here to read this article in its entirety. »

by Carolyn Burris
MS, Nutrition Counselor at
Seasons of Farragut

When it comes to quinoa, you may have a few questions. For starters, how to you pronounce it?

Pronounced KEEN-wah, it is native to the Andes Mountains of South America where it has been considered a super food for over 5000 years. Quinoa has a mild, nutty taste and chewy texture. Individually, it looks like tiny beads and are most often beige in color, but black and red varieties are also available. Although it has similar characteristics and preparation methods to most grains, quinoa is actually a seed!

Americans are crazy for quinoa!

Recently, quinoa has become an increasingly popular food choice in the United States. It’s no wonder we’ve gone quinoa-crazy; it’s a complete protein, it’s heart-healthy, contains fiber, folate, antioxidants, anti-inflammatory phytonutrients, and it has a low allergy risk making it a great choice for children and the gluten intolerant. Quinoa is very nutrient dense, including all eight essential amino acids, making it a very vital food for vegetarians.

One cup of quinoa (or one serving) will provide:

220 calories (70 percent carbs, 15 percent fat, 15 percent protein)
40 grams of carbohydrates (13 percent daily value)
8 grams of protein (16 percent of daily value)
3.5 grams of fat (5 percent daily value with no saturated fat)
A glycemic load (blood sugar spike) of only 18 out of 250
5.2 grams of fiber (20 percent of daily value)
20 percent of daily value of folate (one of the B vitamins)
30 percent of magnesium daily value (helpful for people suffering from migraines); 28 percent daily value of phosphorous; iron (15 percent); copper (18 per cent); manganese (almost 60 per cent); zinc (13 per cent)

Americans aren’t the only ones praising this super food for its unique nutritive value. The Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations (FAO) has officially declared 2013 be recognized as “The International Year of the Quinoa.

How do I prepare quinoa for cooking?

If the quinoa is not pre-rinsed, you will need to wash it well, because the seeds are covered with saponins, which are plant compounds that foam when they are mixed with water, similar to soap. The saponins are not harmful if you eat them, but will give quinoa a bitter taste if not rinsed thoroughly with cold running water until water becomes clear.

How do I cook quinoa?

Quinoa cooks easily, in about 15 minutes. Similar to rice, it takes 2 cups of water per 1 cup of quinoa. Cook quinoa at a high setting until it starts to boil then cover and simmer for approximately 12-15 minutes. One way to know that it’s ready, is seeing the ring-shaped sprouts popping out from the seeds. Stir the quinoa until all of the water absorbs.

Tips for taste:

Quinoa, on it’s own, is pretty bland so add a small amount of organic coconut oil, organic olive oil, or organic ghee butter for flavor and consistency. You can also add spices, herbs, or even nuts such as walnuts or almonds.

Quinoa Salad-in-a-Jar is a healthy lunch option that you can make in advance. Because of its higher fiber content, quinoa digests slowly which helps you feel full longer and decreases the urge for un-healthy snacking.

Here are two options when making this salad in advance.

Without greens: In a 1 pint (2 cups) jar or container, layer the quinoa pilaf and salad ingredients, omitting the greens.
With the greens: In a 1 quart (4 cups) jar or container, layer quinoa and salad ingredients, with greens added to the top of the jar.

INGREDIENTS:

QUINOA PILAF INGREDIENTS:
(makes 4 cups; serves 4)

1 cup quinoa
1 tablespoon organic olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 cups water
1/2 teaspoon whole mineral salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

DRESSING INGREDIENTS:
(for 1 jar)

2 teaspoons olive oil
2 teaspoon organic wine or apple cider vinegar
1/8 teaspoon whole mineral salt
1 teaspoon gluten free, organic taco seasoning
1/2 teaspoon ground chia seeds (optional)

SALAD INGREDIENTS:
(for 1 jar)

1/4 – 1/3 cup organic corn (fresh or frozen); patted dry if wet
1/4 – 1/3 cup organic black beans (chick peas), rinsed, drained, and patted dry
1 teaspoon diced jalapeno or chili peppers (if more heat is desired)
6 – 8 small grape or cherry tomatoes, left whole (optional)
1 – 2 cups packed greens (optional); cut romaine lettuce, uncut arugula, uncut baby spinach, or shredded cabbage, preferably organic

Directions

To make quinoa pilaf, in a strainer, rinse the quinoa under running water for 60 seconds, until water runs clear; drain. In 2 quart pan on stove top, heat olive oil over medium-high heat; add onions and cook until soft. Add garlic and stir for 1 minute. Add water, quinoa, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, lower heat, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove lid, remove from heat, and fluff with a fork. Set aside to cool completely.
Combine dressing ingredients in bottom of jar, stirring them with a fork. Add 1 cup cooked and cooled quinoa pilaf; use a fork to toss with dressing until well combined. Level out quinoa for an even bottom layer.
Layer the salad ingredients in the order given from the bottom up. If adding greens in the quart jar option, you can pack them in to get as much as possible in the jar.
Put a lid on the jar and refrigerate. Salad should stay fresh for approximately 4-5 days, depending on the freshness and type of ingredients used. Jars that include greens may have a shorter shelf life.

So why is water so good for our body? And what effect does dehydration have on our body? The answers to those questions will inspire you to drink, drink, drink!

Why is water so good for our body?

1. Drinking water improves heart health. Researchers at Loma Linda University looked at water intake in a group of more than 20,000 men and women in their Adventist Health Study. In this study, it was shown that adults drinking five or more glasses of water each day were about 50% less likely to die from a heart attack. They made some other comparisons involving water and health, and the researchers concluded from the results that increased water drinking equals very close to smoking cessation in terms of heart health! Other research has shown that water drinking helps regulate blood pressure, improve mental performance, increase athletic performance, and regulate digestion, regulate elimination, and promote weight control.
2. Water acts as a lubricant. We can break down the health perks of water in three basic groups. First is the fluid characteristic of water. Water is an excellent lubricant. It provides the means to move and flow. While it lubricates, water also protects our body parts from injury by surrounding them in a shock-absorbing fluid. This help our joints and our skin.
3. Water is a solvent. Did you know that water dissolves more substances than any other liquid? Wherever it travels, water carries chemicals, minerals, and nutrients with it. Most nutrients dissolve in water. Within our bodies, some of the most vital dissolved nutrients are called “electrolytes”. The electrolyte minerals such as sodium and potassium stay dissolved in water enabling our bodies to conduct electricity! Water also allows for proper elimination of wastes which helps prevent fluid retention and constipation.
4. Water helps regulate our body temperature like a thermostat. When we are overheated, water is involved by releasing heat (energy) through sweating, thus cooling off the body. Water also helps us retain heat when we need to stay warm.

Illustration provided by www.inspiredwater.org

What effect does dehydration have on our body?

Dehydration is a real issue and actually a common medical concern. Mild dehydration starts with a loss of fluids, as little as two percent, affecting change in the human body. Dehydration decreases the body’s performance, and sets the body up for weight gain, joint and muscle pain, poor concentration, disease, and fatigue. Dehydration can also potentially increase your risk for heartburn, migraines, angina, joint and back pain, fibromyalgic pain, constipation, and more.

Dehydration is a major cause of infant illness and death as well as hospitalization for the aging. Also, it will take longer for nutrients to be delivered to and from muscles and other parts of your body with inadequate fluid. In fact, when you are exercising or in a hot environment, the body can potentially lose two quarts per hour.

How much water should I drink? 

The amount of water we drink greatly impacts the nutrient requirements for the body. Why? Our bodies are approximately 60% water by weight, 50% for women, and most nutrients move through the body in water. Water makes up about 85 percent of our brain, 80 percent of our blood, and close to 70 percent of our lean muscle. Water is also very important in the elimination of toxins by urine and perspiration. There isn’t a single bodily function – seeing, hearing, thinking, exercising, singing, and even laughing – that does not rely on water.

The answer to the “How much water?” question varies by weight, temperature, age, health, and activity. Furthermore, not everything we drink can truly count as fluid intake.

The average person loses approximately 10 cups of fluid per day through excretion of wastes, perspiration, and exhaled air. To avoid dehydration, we need to replace the lost fluids, amounting to 8 – 10 cups per day. Tea, coffee, and alcohol are actually diuretics. Drinking these fluids can strip our bodies of water rather than satisfying our fluid requirements. This is why health professionals recommend water as the main source of hydration. Water doesn’t add extra calories and contains no sugar or caffeine as most soft drinks, mixed drinks, and other sweetened beverages do.

For children, water should be the primary source of hydration. A national survey conducted by Cornell Medical Center found that children who drank more than 12 fluid ounces of sweetened fruit juices a day are more prone to obesity and diminished growth.

Carolyn Burris, MS, Nutrition Counselor at Seasons of Farragut generally recommends drinking half of your body weight in ounces. So if you weigh 120 lbs. then you should drink 60 ounces of filtered water. You should increase water consumption as you increase your activity. So do your body some good every day with plenty of water, especially as the temperature rises!

While this quote sounds like a line from a recent news report, it is actually an excerpt from Rachel Carson’s book Silent Spring published in 1962.

Detoxification seems to be a buzz word these days. Just google detoxification. You will find everything from water detoxification to colon cleanses.

So what is detoxification? The official definition of detoxification is this: the chemical changes of a xenobiotic, a phytochemical, or an endogenous (one your own body makes) compound that renders it less toxic and ready to be excreted. In layman’s terms, detoxification is the way our body protects us from things that we take in that could damage our body.

The ideal situation is toxins in and toxins out, right? If the body is working as designed, then it should be toxins in and toxins out. And how does the body get toxins out? There are many organs that detoxify: the skin (through sweating), kidneys (through urination), and the liver – the most important detox organ. The liver detoxification mechanism involves 2 main processes: Phase I and Phase II detoxification.

Phase I detoxification involves the cytochrome P-450 system in the liver. This is the first line of defense against all toxins. Toxins are tagged and altered for further detoxification, which then occurs in Phase II.  Any break down in this process will result in increased toxin load on the body.

We are what we eat, drink, breath, and touch. But did you ever think that we are what we don’t eliminate? Without elimination of the toxic chemicals we take in and produce every day, our bodies swim in a sludge pool of toxins.

This increased toxic load on the body leads to inflammation, the balance between pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory substances. The balance between Omega 6, a pro-inflammatory subtance, and Omega 3, an anti-inflammatory substance, is the perfect example.

It is the chronic imbalance of  pro-inflammatory substances that then leads to disease.

Shouldn’t the aim of all health care be to prevent inflammation and, therefore, disease? It is in fact, one of the main focuses of the Seasons approach to health and wellness.

Ever wonder if you need to detoxify? My first recommendation is look at and listen to your body.  The body will tell you if it is in trouble or imbalanced. How? Physical signs or symptoms are our body’s message that all is not right. Here’s how to know if you body’s signs and symptoms are saying that you might be suffering from toxic build up.

• Headaches
• Muscle aches and pains
• Fatigue
• Asthma
• Allergies
• Skin disorders
• Chronic infections
• Altered mood
• Altered cognition
• Weight gain
• Altered stress tolerance
• Altered libido
• Infertility

Where do toxins in our bodies come from? Toxins are everywhere. The sources can range from toxins like Dioxins to prescription medication.  Adverse reactions to prescription drugs have been ranked as the 4^th to 6^th leading cause of death in the US according to the Journal of American Medical Association. This amounts to over 100,000 deaths per year.  The cause of adverse drug reactions is an overloaded pathway in Phase I of detoxification (CYP3A4), the pathway that detoxifies over 50% of all drugs in your system. The costs associated with adverse drug reactions has been estimated at up to $4 billion. With the rising costs of health care, treating the cause of these adverse drug reactions in addition to decreasing prescription drugs are two excellent ways to prevent complications and lower costs.

The most dangerous sources of toxins are environmental. Organochlorine pesticides, industrial chemicals, and unintended chemical byproducts surround us everyday and expose us to unwanted toxins. Widespread production of  pesticides began less than 80 years ago. Recently, the EPA estimated that more than 4 billion pounds of chemicals were released into the grounds natural water sources in the year 2000.

In addition to pesticides and chemicals, the average American eats, unknowingly I might add, 124 pounds of additives per year. Frightening to think of it, isn’t it? And over 2.5 billion pounds of pesticides are used on crop lands, forests, lawns, and fields. The unfortunate fact is this: we live in a toxic world.

How can you decrease your daily exposure to toxins? Here are some great ways.

1. Avoid processed foods
2. Avoid fats
3. Avoid tap water — use filtered water
4. Avoid excess caffeine
5. Avoid excess alcohol
6. NO tobacco
7. Limit chronic medicine, if possible
8. Daily exercise
9. Avoid exposure in your workplace
10. Avoid living near industrial plants
11. Avoid liver dysfunction
12. Avoid kidney problems
13. Avoid intestinal dysfunction

The first ten suggestions are steps you and I can take every day to decrease our toxin exposure. But the last three require a bigger step: detoxification. By detoxifying your body, the liver, kidney, and intestines can operate more efficiently and effectively.

So, the question is not who needs detoxification, but who does NOT need detoxification?  The answer? EVERYONE will benefit from a periodic detoxification program. For more information on how to detoxify, contact our office at 865-675-WELL(9355).

Homeopathy, a trusted form of medicine which preceded osteopathic medicine, provides natural solutions for our clients. Homeopathy gives us, at Seasons, the ability to work with the body not against the body. Working with the body allows us to limit side effects and maximize benefits. Sprayology products help us to achieve a customizable balance for all of our clients in the safest way possible.

SleepEase. SleepEase contains herbs such as Valerian and Chamomile for a restful nights sleep. It treats symptoms of wakefulness, restlessness, emotional stress, anxiety, and caffeine sensitivity. SleepEase does not leave you with the groggy feeling of prescription sleep aids.

Seasons offers the full line of Sprayology products including SleepEase.

How to use it:

Sprayology homeopathic products provide therapeutic benefits – symptom relief, metabolic support, immune system maintenance, and detoxification- through a spray. A spray? Yes, a spray! To use, spray 2 times under the tongue before bedtime and if sleep is interrupted. At a lower dosage, SleepEase is great for children ages two and older!

How it works:

Sprayology is an all natural, homeopathic oral spray full of vitamins and essential nutrients. The key to a supplement’s effectiveness is its ability to transport an appropriate amount of active ingredients to the body and in a timely manner. Spraying the vitamins under the tongue allows absorption directly into the body.

Additionally, the delivery of vitamins and minerals by a sublingual spray is convenient and tastes good. All of Sprayology’s products are FDA regulated, gluten-free and won’t interfere with other medications. It is safe for adults and children ages 2 and up and is recommended for those who want a natural option for better sleep with no morning grogginess.

SleepEase by Sprayology is available at Seasons. For more information about our full line of Sprayology products, contact our office (865)675-9355. 

While the military were the first to pursue applications for infrared technology, the medical community was not far behind. In fact, did you know that infrared technology has been approved for breast cancer screening by the FDA since 1985? Let me tell you a little about this fascinating technology and why it’s so valuable for breast cancer screening.

Believe it or not, even unwanted structures such as tumors, depend upon the circulatory system. They cannot grow without the same supplies as the rest of our cells. They also need to have their “waste” removed. In order to grow, they send a message to the circulatory system that requests “utility service.”

Blood flowing through our circulatory system causes adjacent tissue to warm. This temperature elevation can actually be “seen” at the surface of the skin through the use of infrared imaging. A tumor requests “service” from the “utility company” when it is still very, very small. Any extra blood flow will generate a “hot spot.”

1. Saliva testing evaluates the “free” (active) hormone levels. A hormone has to be unbound to elicit a physiologic action. Saliva testing looks at the active hormone inside the cell, at the site of action. Saliva testing has been validated as a testing method for measuring the hormones cortisol, estradiol, progesterone, DHEA, and testosterone to name a few.
2. Saliva testing requires no needles.
3. Saliva testing has been shown to be well validated and superior than blood, with sensitivities and specificities exceeding 100% and 97.4% respectively.  Other than perfection, you can’t get much better than that.
4. According to the National Institute for Health, saliva testing is useful in “detecting various cancers, heart disease, diabetes, periodontal disease…”
5. Saliva testing is also useful in disease evaluation. Saliva testing of cortisol has been recommended as the first-line test for Cushing’s syndrome due to “high diagnostic accuracy.”

Testing hormones through saliva is backed by science. But don’t take my word for it. In fact, it’s well supported in medical literature and is the right thing to do. Below are links to several abstracts regarding salivary hormone testing. Read them for yourself and learn about the science behind this form of hormone testing.

• Belkien LD, Bordt J, Moller P, Hano R, Nieschlag E. Estradiol in saliva for monitoring follicular stimulation in an in vitro fertilization program. Fertil Steril 1985;44:322.
• Bolaji II, Tallon DF, O’Dwyer E, Fottrell PF. Assessment of bioavailability of oral micronized progesterone using a salivary progesterone enzymeimmunoassay. Gynecol Endocrinol 1993;7:101-110.
• Campbell BC, Ellison PT. Menstrual variation in salivary testosterone among regularly cycling women. Horm Res 1992;37:132-136.
• Aardal-Eriksson E, Karlberg BE, Holm AC. Salivary cortisol- and alternative to serum cortisol determinations in dynamic function tests. Clin Chem Lab Med 1998;36:215-222.

These articles are published in well-respected journals; and if you notice, they are not recent. Salivary testing of hormones has been well published in the medical literature for some time now.

Here are a few quotes from these studies:

• “…salivary cortisol may be used as an alternative parameter in dynamic endocrine tests.”
• “…assessment of ovarian function…can be performed precisely with the saliva estradiol assay.”
• “…saliva collection has provided the medical and research community with an excellent medium for the monitoring of plasma steroid levels.”

Nowhere else in medicine do we blindly treat people without assessing a baseline and post treatment level(s). Balance is the key; not one individual hormone. Unfortunately, the medical field is very slow to learn and change.

For more information about salivary testing, read Evaluating Hormones Requires More Than Just a Blood Test.