Medical Eye-Candy

I stumbled across a TEDtalk which describes the technologies being implemented at Harvard Medical School.  The advances here allow student to visualize the truth and beauty within the cell, allowing for physiological function.  It's quite remarkable to see, regardless of whether or not your 'background' is in science, as I feel all people can appreciate truth and beauty in one form or another:

 Source:  http://images.businessweek.com/ss/07/03/0309_ted_speakers/source/3.htm

David Bolinsky is the medical animator - to see his website for many more stunning animations, click here

 TEDtalk by Bolinsky (2010) 

The Shampoo-less Experiment {An Ode to Severus}

"He can run faster than Severus Snape confronted with shampoo."
— J.K. Rowling (Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows)

For all of you Harry Potter fans  [Deathly Hallows II premiere is at 12AM tonight!] you’ll understand who Severus Snape is, and why his greasy locks would suggest he has strong inclination to run away from shampoo.  Well fans, in regards to the shampoo-spree, I’ve been running along-side Severus for the past month.  After much frustration with shampoos sold in supermarkets, drugstores, and even health stores, I’m giving up on shampoo and conditioner.  Mind you, my goal is not to look like Severus Snape (see below picture)

photo from www.sodahead.com

But for a personal preference to avoid chemical toxins, and shelling out 7-plus dolla dolla bills y’all for 350ml of un-satisfactory product.  It’s a hair-centric world we live in.  I like to experiment with hair styles, and prefer beautiful shiny locks.  There’s something to be said about decreasing the use of shampoo, and the human scalp is often able to self-regulate its own oil production.  So I’m aiming to decrease my frequency of hair-washing, and increase home-made hair cleaners. 

HOW?  Well, there are plenty of online resources and tips and tricks to go ‘Poo-less’.  I'm currently self-experimenting with my own tresses in the hopes of finding the perfect shampoo-less and conditioner-less regimen. 

#1  Gradually decrease shampoo use by watering down the last bottle to ½ water and ½ shampoo.  Maintain the same frequency of use for 2 weeks.  As you notice that oiliness of the scalp self-regulates, you can decrease the use of shampoo to once per week, then once per 2 weeks, and onwards until you do not need to use shampoo.  Rinse with water as needed. 

#2  Replace the now infrequent shampoo use with your preferred alternative. 
Option A. Combination of 1tbsp baking soda in 700ml water and 300ml castile soap.  (I'm currently using this and finding it filmy)

Option B.  Pure Glycerin : Water in a 1:1 ratio.  Add in essential oils as needed  

#3  Condition your hair

Option A.  Aloe vera gel - the less expensive dietary whole-leaf is fine, no need to invest in the cosmetic grade.  Apply to washed hair for 3 minutes.  Rinse with water

Option B.  Combination of 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar and 1L water.  The acidity of ACV at the tips helps to retain moisture.  Add desired essential oils

Option C.  Homemade hair masks (honey, avacado, coconut oil versions will be posted on a later date)

PROS:   

• Less need to shampoo as much.  
• No need to worry about cost of toxic burden of products.    
• Travel-friendly option.  
• Cost-effective

CONS:   

• The adjustment period may be difficult.  Your oil glands are accustomed to producing more oil every time you wash off the natural oils with shampooing.  So you may experience an initial excessive production of oil.  This will regulate after the first few weeks though!   
• Texture and smell of hair is less silky with natural conditioners.   
• Time consuming in the experiment-phase

The Principles of Naturopathic Medicine

"The nature of the pathos" - Naturopathic medicine is essentially a combination of modalities integrated together to treat the cause of a pathology.  There are 6 principles which the naturopathic physician abides by:

Vis Medicatrix Naturae - The Healing Power of Nature

Within each body exists an inherent ability to heal itself. Naturopathic doctors recognize an intelligent self-healing process that is innate to each individual. Naturopaths aim to allow for this healing process to occur through supporting it, rather than overtaking this healing capacity.

 

Tolle Causam - Identify and Treat the Cause

The naturopathic doctor aims to identify and treat the underlying cause rather than manage or suppress symptoms. Symptoms are seen as an expression of the body's dysfunction will attempting to heal itself.  A naturopath works to discover the root cause of the pain - perhaps due to an imbalance within.  May it be the immune system, nutritional sensitivity or deficiency, a past injury or an emotional impact.

 

Primum Non Nocere - First Do No Harm

This is achieved by 3 methods:
1. Utilizing modalities with the least risk of harmful side effects
2. Avoiding the harmful suppression of symptoms when possible
3. Using the least force necessary to diagnose and treat illness, and engage the patients innate healing process

 

Docere - Doctor As Teacher

Education and understanding empowers the patient to recognized and take on their own health as a responsibility. Naturopathic doctors work with patients by sharing knowledge and information to create successful treatment plans.

 

Prevention

Naturopathic philosophy views health as more than the absence of disease. Rather, health is seen as the capacity to function at an optimal level.  This incorporates, exercise, a proper diet, balanced lifestyle, positive emotions, and motivation to engage in these. A naturopathic doctor helps the patient to take a pro-active approach to disease prevention and achieving optimal health.

 

Treat the Whole Person

Each person is unique and requires individualized care.  Naturopathic philosophy views disease as a systemic health problem, and has an impact on the whole person, rather than specific to an organ or body system.  In treating the cause of any condition, naturopathic doctors take into account not only your physical symptoms, but also mental, emotional, and energetic blockades to optimal health.  They consider the genetic, environmental, and social factors which can impact ones health.  This is the holistic approach of naturopathic medicine.

An Introduction

Welcome to Health, Etcetera!  This is my blog about a variety of subjects near and dear to me: naturopathic medicine, food, cosmetics, creativity, and positive change.  These entries are reflections of my personal opinion, and the things which inspire me to maintain a healthy and natural lifestyle while engaged in the urban world. I am a student of life, kitchen experimenter, daughter, sister, listener, and now blogger.  I am also inspired by art and creativity - music, vocabulary, and color.  And I aim to enmesh these interests into my lifestyle to maintain balance and a holistic lifestyle 

As a naturopathic student intern, the integration of modalities is a benefit to patients.  Research articles of interest will be posted.  Modalities of interest include supplements, botanicals, homeopathy, acupuncture, and its relevant use in treating health conditions. For more information about the principles of practice, see Naturopathic Medicine

In this blog you'll find articles that I find intriguing, uplifting, and inspiring.  May it be a piece of artwork, a book, music, an article or TEDtalk, I hope that you may also relish in what you see or hear from what you discover in my blog.  

As a kitchen experimenter, I like to explore nutritious gluten free recipes.  A major philosophy of naturopathic medicine is using food as medicine.  It is important to take into account what you consume, and the function each component has on the human body.  Gluten is a food allergen which affects the health of many patients, from low grade to severe symptoms.  And the culprit protein molecule, gluten, is found in many vastly consumed grains:  wheat, splelt, kamut, barley, rye, and semolina are some examples.  So what foods will you expect to see these glutinous grains?  Bread, pasta, cookies, baked goods, are loaded with gluten.  And label-beware, wheat flours and bran (the outer shell of wheat) are often used as binders in processed foods.  I aim to provide yummy recipes to leave you and your tastebuds gluten free!

Happy browsing - and thank you for paying a visit to Health Etcetera!

Chickpea Blackbean BBQ Burgers

Summer lovin' and mojito in hand, I was recently confronted with a BBQ challenge.  I needed a vegetarian-friendly, gluten free flavour-packed burger to satisfy the masses.  After a few rounds of trial and error, a taste-bud happy recipe emerged - one which I am happy to share with my readers:

Makes:       10 burgers
Prep Time:  20 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes

Combine the following ingredients into a food processor or blender:

1 red pepper

6 large mushrooms

½ onion

½ cup cilantro

6 cloves chopped garlic

1 egg

1 can blackbeans

1 can chickpeas

1 cup cooked brown rice

1 1/2 packet taco seasoning

4 tbsp tamari sauce

1 tbsp onion powder

2 tbsp paprika

1.5 tbsp celery seed

1.5 tsp cayenne pepper

Hand mix the following into the above bean mixture:

5 tbsp corn starch

1/3 cup gluten free rolled oat flour

Dressings:

Sliced avocado

Salsa

BBQ sauce

Spinach

When putting burgers onto the barbeque, line with tinfoil to avoid burgers from losing their shape.  Grill at medium heat until underside is golden brown. Flip over to grill until other side is golden brown.

Happy BBQ-ing
!

Kitchen Kosmetics

I’ve become interested in reducing the chemical toxic burden in the cosmetic products that I use on a daily basis.  Why?  Because in my day to day life, I take into account what happens to my body, may it be physiological understanding, what I eat, my exercise capabilities, or how it looks.  In line with all these considerations comes the idea that what I put ON my body should also be clean, and toxin free.

I’m a label junkie – what goes into my cosmetic and cleaning products?  Of these 10+ syllable ingredients, what does each ingredient do?  And are there any associated health hazards?  I had a similar reaction a few years ago that is described in a video by Annie Lennox called the “Story of Cosmetics”:   

I decided to use a resource by the Environmental Working Group called Skin Deep: http://www.ewg.org/skindeep/  to understand what is in my products.  This site lists many many products, and gives a hazard rating scale of what you use everyday.  It also lists which marketed products have a low or even 0 rating on their hazard scale.  Below is a short list of commonly used cosmetic chemicals:

Cocamidopropyl betaine - found commonly in shampoos, it is a volume booster and surfactant.  It contains nitrosamines (see below).  It is also toxic to the immune system, and a common cause for allergies.

Ethylene Oxide - human carcinogen, reproductive and endocrine disruptor, multi-organ system toxin, allergen and immuno-toxin

Fragrances - can contain hormone disruptors and neurotoxins (toxic to the brain), common allergen.  Government regulations currently do not require these to be specified on ingredient labels.

Nitrosamines - carcinogen

Parabens (propyl, isopropyl, butyl, isobutyl) - commonly found in shampoos, conditioners, lotions, and body washes.  It is a xenoestrogen linked to cancers and an endocrine disruptor.

Phthlatates - A plasticizer which is to linked to reproductive disorders and endocrine disorders.

Sodium Lauryl Sulfate / Sodium Laureth Sulfate (SLS) - a common skin irritant found in body wash, shampoos, and lotions.  It acts as a surfactant and a detergent

Talc - a drying agent commonly found in makeup such as foundation, mineral makeup, and blushes.  This helps to keep the longevity of makeup wear in the presence of natural face oils and sweat.  However, talc in its natural form is contaminated by asbestos fibres, which is a known carcinogen and multi-organ toxin.

I find it frustrating that even on my quest to purchase ‘cleaner’ products, there are still many products which offer ‘natural’, ‘organic’ or ‘herbal’ claims still pump in many toxic chemicals.  I’m at exposure to carcinogens, endocrine disruptors, parabens, plasticizers, at low doses everyday. 

So I’m on a personal quest to eliminate the toxic load from my personal care products such as:

·         Shampoo

·         Conditioner

·         Hair styling products

·         Body lotion

·         Body wash

·         Deodorant

·         Toothpaste
Make-up
Face wash

One of my goals is to eliminate much of my dependency on chemical loads.  After seeking out effective and budget friendly cosmetics, I’ve been searching out at-home solutions.  These at-home experiments will be tracked in my archive of “Kitchen Kosmetics” in the upcoming months.  So far, the quest has been a fun one.  And should you happen to be on a similar quest for a simpler and cleaner way of living, the upcoming posts should be of interest to you. 

To better your own understanding of toxins found in cosmetics and personal care products, visit http://environmentaldefence.ca/campaigns/just-beautiful to see their articles, and make your voice heard by signing their petition. 

Happy reading!