How to Detox for Balanced Hormones

Its the New Year!  Feels good to finally get back into a schedule!  If you aren't feeling your best, a quick detox may be all that it takes to get your hormones back into balance. 

How do you know if you need to detox?   Are you having any of these symptoms?

Bloating

Heavy periods

Mood swings

Feeling tired

Not sleeping well

Breast tenderness

Retaining fluid

Achy joints

Hair loss

A detox program will help your body eliminate excess hormones, cellular waste products and environmental chemicals, as well as reducing the amount of toxins that you are exposed to. 

FOODS TO INCREASE:

Certain foods help to support your body's natural detox pathways (especially liver health) and help to keep your hormones balanced.  

1.  Vegetables:  Increase your intake of green leafy veggies, and vegetables of a variety of colors to get all the phytonutrients (plant compounds) that keep your cells at optimal function.  Try to choose organic whenever possible.  

2.  Water:  make sure you stay well hydrated.  The enzyme systems involved in cellular metabolism don't function well when you are dehydrated. 

3.  Healthy fats:  Sources of good fats include avocado, coconut oil, raw nuts, extra virgin olive oil and seeds (like chia seeds, hemp seeds, raw pumpkin or sunflower seeds are all good choices).  The healthy fats help to protect your liver and are necessary for balanced hormones. 

4.  Sulfur containing foods:  The sulfur in these foods is important for your liver detox pathways, especially for the production of glutathione - an important antioxidant made in your liver.    Good sources of sulfur include Allium vegetables like onion, garlic, shallots, chives and Cruciferous veggies like broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, Brussels sprouts and kale. 

5.  Seasonings:  cilantro, rosemary, ginger, turmeric and many of the other seasonings you have in your kitchen right now are natural detox support nutrients.  Use them!  Your food will taste better, and you will feel better.  Its a win-win!

FOODS TO AVOID:

Certain foods promote hormonal imbalances, and interfere with natural detox processes, so they should be avoided.  

1.  Alcohol:  Sorry, but alcohol is very hard on your liver, so avoiding alcohol is important while you are detoxing.

2.  Sugar  Sugar drives inflammation and insulin resistance,  which cause blood sugar problems and weight gain.  

3.  Hormone disrupting foods:  grains, corn, soy, and dairy should be temporarily avoided.  

4.  Inflammatory fats:  vegetable oils like canola and safflower promote inflammation and hormone imbalance.  The worst of all are trans fats - hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated fats.  These promote diabetes, weight gain and other chronic disease.  They are predominantly found in deep fried foods, commercially baked goods, and in shortening and margarine. Choose healthy fats instead, and keep this up as a new habit!

AVOID ENVIRONMENTAL TOXINS WHEN POSSIBLE

Toxins are everywhere and it isn't possible to avoid them all, but here are some simple things that you CAN do. 

1.  Go through your personal care products (lotions, cosmetics, shampoo, etc).  Look for anything that contains parabens or artificial fragrance, and replace them.  Parabens cause hormone imbalances, and are possibly associated with an increased risk of cancer, including breast cancer  

2. When you are shopping for cleaning products, look for "greener" choices, with less chemicals.  Even better, use natural cleaners like vinegar and baking soda!

3.  Don't microwave your food in plastic (especially avoid putting plastic wrap in the microwave).  Plastics contain phthalates which are a group of chemicals that also contribute to hormone disruption.  Heating them leaches out the chemicals and increases the risk.  Heat things in glass containers instead.

4.  Don't char your meat.  When you cook on the grill and the edges of the meat become slightly charred, heterocyclic amines (HCAs) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are produced.  These are cancer causing compounds.  Cook your food at lower temperatures to avoid this. 




TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF

If you are constantly stressed out, your body's detox pathways won't function effectively.  Here are some stress reducing tips.

1.  Do deep breathing exercises.  Take some slow, deep belly breaths and concentrate on the air going in and out.  Do this for 5 minutes twice daily (you can even start out with 1 minute and it still works!)

2.  Learn to meditate.  A great app is called Calm - it is available for free on your phone!

3.  Start doing yoga.  Yoga stretches your muscles and relaxes your brain - so it helps both physically and emotionally - a two-for-one!

4.  Pet your dog.  Or cat.  Or watch your goldfish swimming.  Caring for a pet helps with stress reduction!

SWEAT

Besides your liver, your skin is another important organ of detoxification!




1.  Exercise helps you in many ways!  When you sweat, you are releasing toxins through your skin.  Make sure you shower promptly so they are not reabsorbed.

2.  A sauna is another good way to release toxins through sweat.  Look around - they don't have to be expensive (I managed to find a barely-used sauna on Craigslist and I love it.  Especially when it is cold outside!)





ADD DETOX SUPPORT SUPPLEMENTS

Many "cleanses" at the health food store are mostly laxatives or fiber supplements that cause loose stools (you get more exercise by running to the bathroom all day!).  

A detox program is supporting your liver function, which is different.  However, it IS important to avoid constipation while you are detoxing:  your liver is doing all that work to excrete unwanted substances into your gut and if you are constipated they are more likely to get reabsorbed back into your system, defeating the purpose. 


My favorite detox supplements are included in our 6 Day Detox Kit. It contains everything you need, including a detox shake (OptiCleanse GHI), a probiotic (Probiomax daily), a fiber supplement, a liver/kidney/gallbladder drainage support supplement and a meal plan with full instructions!   

If you are a patient, and want to join the Signature Wellness staff in our annual January detox, you can call the office to get your kit - the price is reduced for the month of January, but the kits are very popular so call now before they run out!   

You can reach us at 704-752-9346 or questions@signaturewellness.org. 

Yours in Health!

Dr Deborah Matthew 

Imagine life without belly fat!

Top 5 hidden causes of weight gain 

Did you enjoy the holidays a little too much?  Is your New Year's resolution to lose some weight?  Here is what you need to know....

For many years you have been told that weight loss is straight forward - eat less and exercise more.  Unfortunately for many people it is just not that easy!

Whether you are a woman with perimenopausal or menopausal hormone problems, or a man with low testosterone, weight gain is typical (in fact the average woman gains about 20 pounds as she goes through menopause!).

Thyroid hormones and stress hormones including cortisol and DHEA closely regulate whether you burn or store calories.  Insulin is a fat storing hormone, so if you are creeping towards pre-diabetes (or if you are already there) your body will tend to store fat even if you are not over-indulging.

Obviously hormonal balance is important for successful weight loss.  But sometimes it is just not enough.

Apart from balanced hormones and good lifestyle habits, did you know that there are often many other underlying factors that are affecting your weight?

Here is a list of the top 5 hidden (fixable!) causes of weight gain.  

1.  Food sensitivities.   It is very common to develop sensitivities to common foods.  A sensitivity causes low grade inflammation which promotes weight gain.  Changing nutrition to avoid the foods you are sensitive to can help with mood, energy, memory, joint pains, digestive symptoms, menstrual problems as well as weight gain.

2.  Toxins.  There are tens of thousands of chemicals that we are exposed to on a regular basis.  Many of these are “hormone disrupters” - meaning that they interfere with metabolic processes and hormonal  balance.  We know that people with higher levels of toxins tend to be more overweight and more likely to have diabetes, as well as many other hormonally related problems.  Avoidance of toxins and learning how to help optimize your natural detoxification pathways can be a very important step in weight loss.

3.  Dysbiosis.  This is a word that means there is an imbalance in your “microbiome” - the trillions of micro-organisms that live in your digestive tract.  If you have too many of the wrong bacteria and not enough of the good health-promoting "probiotic" bacteria, this is associated with weight gain.  In some cases the bacteria literally cause us to extract more calories from the same amount of food.

4. Candida.  Overgrowth of digestive yeast (candida) is another common problem.  Candida causes sugar cravings that can be quite severe, making it much more difficult to avoid the sugary junk.  Candida also causes bloating, brain fog, fatigue, and hormonal imbalances

5.  Inflammation.  If there are too many inflammatory chemicals circulating in your blood stream, these directly cause problems with insulin and cortisol, resulting in weight gain.  Insulin and cortisol can contribute to more inflammation - so a cycle is created where your body wants to store more fat... 

Solutions are available!

As you can see, the "calories in vs calories out" equation is not the whole story.

If you have hormonal issues, these must be addressed.

In addition to balanced hormones, a medical weight loss program that addresses ALL of these underlying issues simultaneously is much more likely to result in successful longterm weight loss.



As the above issues are corrected, you won't just lose weight, but you can expect to FEEL better!  Symptoms that commonly resolve include fatigue, brain fog, bloating, joint aches, mood problems, and quality of sleep.

If you are ready to lose weight now,  please know that there are options and that we can help!  Call today to get started!  704-752-9346

Is this why you are tired?

Do you have a hard time getting going in the morning?  Do you have an energy crash in the afternoon?  And then, after feeling tired all day, do you get a second wind late in the evening and have a hard time falling asleep?  If so, you certainly aren't alone!

Cortisol is your stress hormone.  If you have a sudden stressful experience, like being late for an important appointment and getting stuck in traffic, your cortisol level goes up to help you cope with the stress.  Then when you get there and everything turns out ok, your cortisol level goes back down to normal.  This is a normal stress response.

The problem is that in our modern world we tend to have lots of little stresses all day long.  In the past, our stresses were things like being chased by a saber-toothed tiger and having to run for our life. The physical activity (running) helped us to clear the extra stress hormones from our system.  Today our stresses typically don't involve running for our life - they are much more likely to involve fuming at the slow traffic while we sit in our car worrying about being late for our appointment.  The end result can be chronically elevated cortisol levels.

When we are thinking about stresses it is important to realize that we don't just include the emotional stressors.  You are typically well aware of those - family issues, work stress, etc.  But physical stressors count as well - things like allergies, chronic back pain, insomnia, nutritional deficiencies and hormonal imbalances.  And you can have stresses on your system without being aware - for example toxins in the environment.  It is very common in our modern world to have high stress burdens.

If cortisol levels remain chronically elevated health problems can follow.  High cortisol may promote fatigue, mood symptoms including depression and anxiety, food cravings, weight gain, insomnia, high blood pressure, bone loss, poor memory, impaired immune system function and increased menopausal symptoms.  In a nutshell, high cortisol is a wear and tear hormone; it ages you at an accelerated rate.    You have probably witnessed this - people who have lived under extremely stressful conditions often look older than their biological age.

Over time, cortisol levels may drop inappropriately.  If you now have insufficient amounts of cortisol to meet your body's daily demands problems can get even worse.  This is when you start to feel really exhausted, have difficulty coping with stress and feel like little things (that shouldn't really be stressful) feel somewhat overwhelming.

Do you think you may have a cortisol problem?  Here is what can be done.

Your cortisol level can be measured in a saliva or urine test.  We prefer to measure your level at multiple times during the day, since the levels change - they should be higher in the morning to help you wake up and lower at night to help you fall asleep.   We commonly find low levels in the morning and high levels at bedtime - when your daily pattern is backwards, no wonder it is hard to wake up and hard to fall asleep!

Reducing your stress is important.  Breathing exercises, meditation, yoga, walking, laughter and heartfelt prayer are good examples of stress management techniques.  Sometimes reducing stress is not easy.  Please talk to us if you need help.

Caffeine, alcohol and sugar may make you feel a little better in the short term, but in the long term they are not helpful and should be minimized.  Supporting cortisol levels can improve your energy so you don't need to rely on caffeine to keep you moving.

There are a number of supplements that are very helpful, and which ones we recommend for you depend on your symptoms and the pattern of your cortisol levels.  Ashwagadha, rhodiola and holy basil are examples of herbs that are typically safe and beneficial regardless of whether your cortisol is too high or too low.

If you have having symptoms that are affecting your quality of life, and would like to be evaluated to see if cortisol may be a problem for you, please contact the office for further information at 704-752-9346 or questions@signaturewellness.org.  You can also find more information at www.signaturewellness.org

Yours in Health,

DrM

Is this why you are tired?

Do you have a hard time getting going in the morning?  Do you have an energy crash in the afternoon?  And then, after feeling tired all day, do you get a second wind late in the evening and have a hard time falling asleep?  If so, you certainly aren't alone!

Cortisol is your stress hormone.  If you have a sudden stressful experience, like being late for an important appointment and getting stuck in traffic, your cortisol level goes up to help you cope with the stress.  Then when you get there and everything turns out ok, your cortisol level goes back down to normal.  This is a normal stress response.

The problem is that in our modern world we tend to have lots of little stresses all day long.  In the past, our stresses were things like being chased by a saber-toothed tiger and having to run for our life. The physical activity (running) helped us to clear the extra stress hormones from our system.  Today our stresses typically don't involve running for our life - they are much more likely to involve fuming at the slow traffic while we sit in our car worrying about being late for our appointment.  The end result can be chronically elevated cortisol levels.

When we are thinking about stresses it is important to realize that we don't just include the emotional stressors.  You are typically well aware of those - family issues, work stress, etc.  But physical stressors count as well - things like allergies, chronic back pain, insomnia, nutritional deficiencies and hormonal imbalances.  And you can have stresses on your system without being aware - for example toxins in the environment.  It is very common in our modern world to have high stress burdens.

If cortisol levels remain chronically elevated health problems can follow.  High cortisol may promote fatigue, mood symptoms including depression and anxiety, food cravings, weight gain, insomnia, high blood pressure, bone loss, poor memory, impaired immune system function and increased menopausal symptoms.  In a nutshell, high cortisol is a wear and tear hormone; it ages you at an accelerated rate.    You have probably witnessed this - people who have lived under extremely stressful conditions often look older than their biological age.

Over time, cortisol levels may drop inappropriately.  If you now have insufficient amounts of cortisol to meet your body's daily demands problems can get even worse.  This is when you start to feel really exhausted, have difficulty coping with stress and feel like little things (that shouldn't really be stressful) feel somewhat overwhelming.

Do you think you may have a cortisol problem?  Here is what can be done.

Your cortisol level can be measured in a saliva or urine test.  We prefer to measure your level at multiple times during the day, since the levels change - they should be higher in the morning to help you wake up and lower at night to help you fall asleep.   We commonly find low levels in the morning and high levels at bedtime - when your daily pattern is backwards, no wonder it is hard to wake up and hard to fall asleep!

Reducing your stress is important.  Breathing exercises, meditation, yoga, walking, laughter and heartfelt prayer are good examples of stress management techniques.  Sometimes reducing stress is not easy.  Please talk to us if you need help.

Caffeine, alcohol and sugar may make you feel a little better in the short term, but in the long term they are not helpful and should be minimized.  Supporting cortisol levels can improve your energy so you don't need to rely on caffeine to keep you moving.

There are a number of supplements that are very helpful, and which ones we recommend for you depend on your symptoms and the pattern of your cortisol levels.  Ashwagadha, rhodiola and holy basil are examples of herbs that are typically safe and beneficial regardless of whether your cortisol is too high or too low.

If you have having symptoms that are affecting your quality of life, and would like to be evaluated to see if cortisol may be a problem for you, please contact the office for further information at 704-752-9346 or questions@signaturewellness.org.  You can also find more information at www.signaturewellness.org

Is this the cause of your hormone problem?

Are you concerned about chemicals in the environment?  Did you know that chemicals may be the cause of your hormone imbalance?

There are literally tens of thousands of chemicals that have been invented in the past 70 years.  Most of these have never been tested to see whether they are safe for humans.   We are exposed to small amounts of these chemicals on a daily basis through food, water, cosmetics, and air.  These compounds are often persistent (they don't get flushed out of the body) and build up over time.

Many of these chemicals are "hormone disruptors", meaning that they interfere with our normal hormone function.   Examples include industrial chemicals like dioxins and PCBs, pesticides including DDT, plasticizers like BPA and phthalates, and preservatives like parabens.

Health problems in women that may be associated with hormone disrupting chemicals include uterine fibroids, fibrocystic breast disease, endometriosis, infertility, PMS, and menstrual problems.  

In men these chemicals have been associated with low testosterone levels,  reduced sperm count, infertility, and impaired sexual function.  

Lets look at some of these in more detail.

Bis-phenol A (BPA) is a component of plastic and has estrogenic effects.  (In fact, it was first discovered in the 1880's and was evaluated for use as an estrogen drug, before it was abandoned in favor of a compound with even stronger estrogen effects - DES.  DES was one of the first hormone disruptors identified and was banned by the FDA for causing birth defects. )

BPA is found in hard plastic bottles (including baby bottles!), dental sealants that we put on our kids teeth, credit card receipts, dollar bills, and the inside lining of cans of food.  

 To minimize your exposure,  avoid plastic bottles (especially if scratched or old),  buy fresh or frozen food instead of canned whenever possible, strongly consider the pros and cons of dental sealants (BPA-free sealants are available), and avoid products packaged in recyclable plastic containers marked #7.

Phthalates are found in soft plastic, such as water bottles, teething toys, baby bottle nipples, and plastic wrap for food.

To minimize your risk,  don't reuse your water bottles, and don't microwave your food in plastic (the heat increases the leaching of the chemical into your food) - use glass instead.








Parabens are preservatives found in personal care products like cosmetics, lotions, and shampoo.

Read the labels of all the products that you put on your skin to see if they contain parabens. Anything you put on your skin will be absorbed into your body.



Dioxins come from industrial processes, such as incineration of medical waste, smelting,  pulp and paper bleaching, and production of pesticides and herbicides.  Agent Orange is a dioxin, and dioxins are closely related to PCBs which were banned in the 1970s.  Both dioxins and PCS are persistent, meaning they last for decades in our bodies and in the environment.

The chemicals are deposited on the ground and ingested by farm animals, where it is concentrated in their fat tissues.  Our main exposure is through consumption of meat and dairy products.

According to the EPA, adults consume approximately 300-600 times the "safe" limit for dioxins. These chemicals tend to be concentrated in breast milk, and nursing infants are estimated to to consume 15,000-30,000 times this limit!  The average levels of dioxins in all Americans are now estimated to be "at or approaching" the point where we can all expect to experience adverse health effects.  Because dioxins (and PCBs) are eliminated very slowly from the body, they can last (and cause effects) for up to several decades after exposure.

Avoiding exposure to dioxins is a challenge.  The primary solution is for industries to change so that our environment is not being polluted.  Limiting consumption of meat and dairy products is a partial solution.   In this case, buying organic meat and dairy products will not prevent exposure.

Pesticides  DDT was banned decades ago when it was found to be a hormone disruptor, but overall our use of pesticides has increased over the years.  In recent research,  30 out of 37 commonly used pesticides tested by the University of London were found to be hormone disruptors.  The one found to have the most potent effects at blocking male hormones was an insecticide called fenitrothion, which is an organophosphate used on orchard fruits, grains, rice vegetables and other crops.

There is significant concern for fetuses and nursing infants, as these hormone disruptors may have effects on the developing reproductive tract.

In this case, buying organic foods DOES help to reduce risk of exposure.    A study found lower levels of pesticide residues in the urine of preschoolers fed an organic diet compared with preschoolers fed a standard diet.  It is so shocking to me that pesticides are found in ANY preschoolers!



So apart from avoiding toxins, what else can be done?

Hormone testing is available to help identify the problem;  sex hormones (estrogen, progesterone, testosterone), thyroid hormones, and stress hormones including cortisol.   It is also possible to do genomic testing and nutritional testing to learn how well your detoxification pathways are functioning and to help optimize your ability to clear toxins from your system.

If you are having hormonal symptoms and would like to be evaluated, please call us!  704-752-9346 or email questions@signaturewellness.org.  Please visit our website to learn more  www.signaturewellness.org 

Why not ensure 100% absorption of your vitamins and minerals?

Did you know that for many people, over 50% of the vitamins and minerals taken by mouth are poorly absorbed?  This can be due to digestive problems like gut inflammation from food sensitivities, dysbiosis (imbalances in digestive microflora), or yeast overgrowth (candida).  Stress and aging can also influence nutrient absorption - most people over the age of 40 are not  optimally digesting and absorbing nutrients.  Even in young, healthy people, the gut is only able to absorb a limited amount of certain nutrients.

In a nutritional IV, vitamins, minerals and amino acids are infused directly into the bloodstream.  We are able to deliver much higher doses of the nutrients since we bypass the limitations of the digestive system, and this allows much better correction of intracellular nutrient deficiencies.  

A good example of this is Vitamin C.  The antiviral effects of Vitamin C are seen when blood levels are approximately 10-15mg/dL.  Oral intake of Vit C typically raises blood levels only up to 1.2-4mg/dL,  so trying to overcome a cold with oral Vit C is unlikely to be very effective. We can deliver a higher dose with IV therapy,  and are able to raise levels up to 50-90mg/dL.

Besides boosting immune system function, another benefit of improved intracellular nutrition is increased energy production.  Mitochondria are the energy producing batteries in each cell. The influx of vitamins and minerals in a nutritional IV fuel the mitochondria and help to “kick start” the energy production in the cells.  This is especially valuable in treating patients with fatigue.

Already fairly healthy?  IV Therapy is great for boosting health and preventing illness.  

Planning an elective surgery?  Nutritional IVs before and after surgery can help to promote a reduced risk of complications from surgery and anesthesia, and promote faster recovery time with less swelling and bruising.  

Having your silver fillings removed?  Nutritional IVs can be very important to help reduce the effects of mercury exposure.  

High stress circumstances coming up, like a wedding, running a marathon, travel, final exams, or a sports competition?  Nutritional IVs can help keep you feeling on top of your game and reduce the risk of a weakened immune system due to stress.

Feel like you are coming down with a cold or flu?  A nutritional IV can resolve symptoms quickly.  This works best if the IV is administered within 24 hours of the start of symptoms.

For patients with medical problems exacerbated by intracellular nutritional deficiencies, IV Therapy can be an important tool in helping to restore wellness.  Conditions that may be helped with nutritional IVs include:

hormone imbalance

poor detoxification

poor memory and concentration

chronic stress

candida 

weakened immune system

fibromyalgia

chronic fatigue syndrome

muscle twitches and spasms

hypertension

athletic performance recovery and endurance

diabetes

migraines

depression

anxiety

arthritis

asthma

allergies

sinusitis

eczema and other skin conditions

chronic pain

cardiovascular disease

poor circulation

post-gastric bypass

Epstein Barr

heavy metal toxicity

influenza

Crohn's disease/ulcerative colitis

cancer

and even the common cold!

What is a Myers’ Cocktail?

During the 1960s, Dr. John Myers’, an internist from Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, proposed that a mixture of key nutritional supplements might be given in a single intravenous 

infusion– literally flooding the body with nutrients– to help improve cell performance. Each of the vitamins and minerals Dr. Myers’ selected had actually been available in intravenous form for years, but no one had ever considered combining them into an intravenous “cocktail.”

The basic Myers’ formula consists of a mixture of Vit C, B Vitamins, magnesium, and calcium.   All of these nutrients have known benefits and low potential for serious side effects. 

What is IV Glutathione?  

Glutathione is the most important anti-oxidant in the body.  It is produced in the body, especially the liver and is very important for detoxification of carcinogens, toxins, drugs, alcohol, and heavy metals like lead and mercury.  It activates the immune system and plays an important role in DNA synthesis and repair.  It activates nitric oxide to dilate arteries.  When given intravenously it helps with liver and brain function, and can be helpful for fatigue, brain fog, memory, parkinson’s and other neurologic conditions. 

Interested in learning more about how nutritional IVs can help you?  Give us a call!  704-752-9346  Or email us at questions@signaturewellness.org.

New Year Detox for Optimal Health

The New Year is a wonderful time of year to consider a detox program.  Seasonal cleansing can help reduce symptoms of disease as well as prevent illness from developing in the first place.  Many of us have seen the packaged detox products in retail stores.  But do they work or are there more effective ways of cleansing and when is it appropriate? 

We live in a sea of toxins.  Millions of tons of chemicals are released into the North American environment each year, exposing us on a daily basis.  Manufacturing and mining are sources of contamination for our air and water, pesticides lace our foods, and cleaning products and cosmetics are just a few of the chemical substances we encounter in our homes.

Our bodies have detoxification pathways via the skin, lungs, bowels, kidneys, lymph system and especially the liver.  Over time, these systems can become impaired due to excessive exposure, poor nutrition, drugs, or ill health.  Symptoms can occur such as fatigue, headaches, skin eruptions, pain, allergies, muscle weakness and foggy thinking.  Over time, repeated cell damage can lead to more serious diseases.  Cleansing can help address the source of these ailments and promote overall health.

There are various detox programs available to the public ranging from gentle to more aggressive.  Gentle approaches may be as simple as improving your diet and starting yoga.  More aggressive methods may include the detox kits sold at health food stores. While some of these kits are produced by reputable companies, they can have detrimental side effects.  Many are based on cathartic, laxative herbs that can cause frequent trip to the bathroom.  They may not contain appropriate amounts of beneficial vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and amino acids such as cysteine and glutamine that aid the cleansing process and help reduce the possibility of detox symptoms (such as fatigue, headaches, and gastrointestinal distress).  Intense cleansing protocols performed improperly can actually harm your health.   

Yearly or bi-yearly cleansing is appropriate for most people, but may not be safe for young children, the chronically ill, pregnant or nursing mothers, and those suffering from a serious disease.  Anyone who falls into these categories should seek the advice of a qualified healthcare practitioner when considering a detox program.

Some of the most effective cleansing protocols take a comprehensive approach and involve a whole foods hypoallergenic diet, rest and relaxation techniques, and ideal amounts of nutrients, antioxidants and herbs.  In addition, learning where exposures to toxins occur in our environment and what we can do to reduce or prevent them can immensely benefit our overall body burden of chemicals.

Signature Wellness is offering an effective 6 day detoxification program to jump start the New Year and cleanse our bodies from holiday revelry.  For more information, please call 704-752-9346.