Month: March 2017

Ditch Tampons – Sustainable and Healthy Menstrual Cycle Tips

Let’s be real. No one looks forward to getting their period. In all honesty, the entire process is a messy, unpleasant business that leads to overflowing trash cans and last minute runs to the store to stock up on more panty liners. At the end of every cycle it’s all you can do to let out a sigh of relief while waiting for the next visit to strike in a matter of weeks.

If you think the pain of this disposal will only be felt by your trash can, think again. Your period is more expensive than you know. Spending just $5 a month on disposable period products (a very conservative estimate) will cost you close to $3,000 over the course of your menstruating life. My guess is that there are plenty of ways you’d rather spend your hard earned cash than dumping it in the bin.

The Environment and Your Tampon: A Bad Combination

But there’s more to worry about with your period than staining your favorite pair of underwear. In truth, your easy access to modern period-care products is coming at a sinister cost for the environment. The average woman uses more than 16,000 pads and tampons throughout her lifetime, creating more than 300 pounds of plastic that will never truly go away. Multiply that figure by the 3.5 billion woman on the planet today, and you have roughly 12 billion sanitary pads and 7 billion tampons winding up in landfills every year. It doesn’t take a lot of imagination to realize this is a major problem.

The problems with your period products go far beyond their disposal issues. It turns out that many pads contain special chemicals that make them extremely efficient at absorbing fluids, often up to 10 times over their weight. While this is a great way to keep leaks in check, these chemicals come in some crazy combinations, and far too little research has been conducted concerning their effects on the environment, much less your body. Until these chemicals can be thoroughly studied (which is unlikely to happen anytime soon), your best solution is to keep them away from your skin.

Cotton Is Not Your Friend. Here’s Why.

Cotton commercials are amazing, aren’t they? Pretty women dancing in snow-white fields, their cotton skirts twirling in perfect sync with them. Life would certainly be better if this was an accurate depiction of the cotton industry, but the truth couldn’t be more different. Most tampons actually contain rayon, not cotton (a synthetic fiber that is known for drying out the vaginal wall), but the ones made from cotton are hardly better.

In fact, cotton is one of the dirtiest GMO crops on the planet. Four out of the five common pesticides used on cotton have been found to have adverse environmental impacts, and Aldicarb, a common insecticide, is known for being a real nightmare for the natural world when it mixes with wildlife and wetland systems. If these growing conditions aren’t bad enough, commercial cotton goes through some equally damaging post-processing that leaves it chlorinated, bleached, and re-treated with pesticides before you get the pleasure of putting it next to one of the most intimate parts of your body.

Putting Your Body at Risk For No Good Reason

There are an awful lot of weird plastics in pads and tampons, many of which contain chemicals that no one fully understands. Some of these chemicals, like BPA and BPS have been found to change the ways that embryos develop in the womb while also increasing your risk of developing certain types of cancer and even heart disease. Phtalates, a chemical found in many tampons, has been known to affect the way the body expresses genes, and it has occasionally even lead to organ failure.

Take a moment to think about the logic of placing plastic-based, largely untested synthetic products right at the most sensitive part of your body. There’s no way to justify it! The skin around female reproductive organs is extremely thin, meaning your blood vessels run right up against the surface. Skin is surprisingly permeable, which makes it simple for the synthetic chemicals in your pads and tampons to be absorbed into your bloodstream and travel throughout your body. In the same way that a tobacco patch floods your bloodstream with a taste of nicotine, your synthetic pads are slowly leaking a cocktail of chemicals into every corner of your body.

Choosing Natural Alternatives For Your Period

When you look at the facts, there’s not a lot to like about conventional period products. However, the good news is that companies around the world have woken up to this fact and have created a vast array of alternative products that keep your body safe while reducing your impact on the environment. Best of all, most of these products are reusable for months, even years, meaning that you’ll save gobs of money after your one-time investment to buy them.

Are you ready to ditch your disposables and enjoy some alternative period products? Here are some of the latest options.

Period-Safe Underwear

Sometimes it takes a little out of the box thinking to find the best period solution for you. Thankfully, many clothing companies are doing just that, and innovative new underwear is beginning to change the game for good. THINX underwear is designed to be period safe, and its built with an absorbent layer that keeps leaks in check all day long. Different pairs even have different absorbency levels, meaning it’s possible to wear underwear with the carrying capacity of two tampons. Because they look and feel just like any other pair of underwear, period safe undies are a comfortable, discrete way to keep your cycle in check.

Reusable Pads

The idea might sound gross at first, but hear it out. Reusable pads are as simple as they seem; they are cloth (often organic cotton) pads that can be washed between uses to keep you stocked up for every occasion. Not only are reusable pads often more absorbent than regular ones, they are far more comfortable. In most cases, reusable pads come in three pieces that include a holder and two inserts, making it simple to change up the absorbency depending on how heavy your cycle is. While it costs a lot to buy enough reusable pads to last throughout your entire period, the money you spend is a one-time investment because these pads can be used for years to come without any extra expense.

While these pads are handy to have available, a big disadvantage is that they need to be carefully washed. Before tossing the liners into the washing machine, they need to be soaked in cold water, and if you find yourself putting off laundry, day you might come up short on supplies by the end of your period.

Menstrual Cups

If you haven’t already been introduced into the wonderful world of menstrual cups, be prepared to change the way you deal with your period forever. While they look like a simple substitute for tampons, menstrual cups are actually far more useful. There are plenty of brands of menstrual cups available, but in most cases they are silicone cups that are easy to fold up and insert right at the base of the vagina. When inserted, menstrual cups create a seal that keeps them in place and allows them to collect period blood without leaking for up to twelve hours. When the cup needs to get changed, all you need to do is pull it out, empty it in the toilet, wash it out and stick it right back in. After a few uses, most women find their menstrual cups as simple to use as tampons once were- and far more convenient.

When you use a menstrual cup, your purse will never again be filled with annoying tampons, and you’ll never need to worry about getting caught unprepared. Small, easily packable and simple to wash at the end of your period, you’ll never want to switch back to regular products. Best of all, most cups cost less than $30 and will last a decade or more. Your wallet will be fuller and landfills will stay a little emptier, thanks to the fact that your dirty pads are no longer landing in them.

Softcups Cups

If you’re eager to try out a tampon alternative but aren’t sure you’re ready to commit for the next ten years, a Softcup is a smart option for trying them out. Like most menstrual cups, softcups are flexible menstrual discs that are worn right at the base of your cervix. Rather than absorbing your flow like a tampon does, softcups collect it and can be dumped out when they get full. Unlike other menstrual cups though, softcups are single use.

While you won’t be reducing as much trash as you would from sticking to strictly reusable products, softcups are a great in-between menstrual option that will allow you to experiment with alternatives without investing in pricy products. Also, because they are made from medical grade material made with elastomers, they eliminate any chance of developing toxic shock syndrome. Best of all, softcups can be worn for more than 12 hours, making it effortless to go hours without thinking about your period.

Conclusion

There’s no reason to pollute the planet every month just because you’re on your period. There are plenty of alternatives to conventional menstrual products that are made from natural products, reusable for years, and so comfortable you’ll forget you’re even on your period. If you’re ready to try out some alternatives to your icky pads and dangerous tampons, take the time to give some of these alternatives a try.

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Forget Fad Diets – Try These Sustainable, Healthy Recipes

How many of you out there have tried fad diets? I know I have! Why? Why not? There are so many of them to choose from. They are trendy, they assure weight loss, and they offer other sought after health advantages like a longer life. It seems the best time to start a fad diet is the New Year when most of us are seeking a fresh start and hoping to improve eating habits and get into shape. Most of the time, fad diets are directed at those who are interested in losing weight rapidly without having to exercise.They may be quick and easy, but fad diets are not always backed by science. Fad diets are often found to be distinguished by weird or limited food selections and they tend to promote an unhealthy or unbalanced diet. The Cleveland Clinic reports, “For the food groups that these diets do permit, the amounts are either well above or well below those recommended by major health organizations like the American Health Association, American Diabetes Association and the Academy of Nutrition and Diabetics, as well as the Surgeon General and the United States Department of Agriculture.”

All this aside, if it’s quick and it works, why not give the fad diet a try? What’s so bad about the quick fix? We have busy schedules. We are committed elsewhere. As long as it works, right? Wrong! The fix may work temporarily, but studies show that most people gain back the weight they lose and more at times. You may wind up worse than where you started off, but making just a few modifications in your routine can help you live longer.

What type of diet stands the test of time?  A sustainable diet or a sustainable lifestyle. Rather than engaging in fad diets, a nourishing diet and positive lifestyle is the key to a happier, healthier life!

So, what is a sustainable diet? Mainly, it is a healthy diet with a low environmental impact for present and future generations. It is a diet that elevates the consciousness of consumers and governments of the role that food biodiversity plays in human nutrition and poverty alleviation. It’s eating local, environmentally friendly food and staying clear of food that is heavily processed and put in a box. It’s growing your own food.

Shopping and eating sustainably go far beyond how food is produced. Sustainability acknowledges the integral association between our food and global warming since industrial food production is a tremendous source of greenhouse gas emissions. A sustainable diet is eating for life. It is eating to protect yourself from serious medical conditions like heart disease and diabetes. It is a lifelong eating strategy that benefits your body and your community. It provides opportunities for the occasional indulgence while maintaining a comfortable weight. It is protection from overeating and weight gain. Eating sustainably also means adding lean proteins to balance a controlled portion of carbs at every meal, resetting your metabolism, and warding off chronic health conditions. Sustainable eating is a gift of health, and doesn’t need to be difficult! Here are some helpful hints to ensure you keep yourself on track with sustainable eating habits.

Select wild caught fish from sustainable sources. Buy local seasonal and environmentally friendly food.  Hand-pick and get to know your farmers and suppliers whenever you can. Plan ahead and design meals that give you all the nutrients you need for your busy day. You can maintain a balanced diet, eat in moderation and eat what you like! Choose heart-healthy foods such as fats containing omega 3 fatty acids, legumes, and colorful fruits and vegetables as well as nutritious whole grains. Stay away from too many starches in one meal or lots of dairy foods and remember, processed foods are resource intensive and don’t promote proper nutrition.

I love organic food and pursue an eco-friendly lifestyle, so I suggest using certified organic ingredients to maximize flavors and nutrition while minimizing your risk of exposure to pesticides, chemicals, and preservatives.

Incorporate sustainable foods into your diet with recipes from Mimi’s Organic Corner.

Mimi’s Immune Boosting Yin Yang Breakfast Bowl.

This is a smoothie in a bowl with nutritious toppings.

Smoothie:

  • 1 Frozen Organic Banana
  • 1 Cup Frozen Organic Blueberries
  • 1 Cup Frozen Organic Mango Chunks
  • 3 Fresh Organic Strawberries
  • 1 Cup Organic Pineapple Chunks.

Topping:

  • Organic Shredded Coconut and Organic Chia Seeds.

Directions:

  1. Blend smoothie ingredients and place in a bowl. Cover half of the smoothie the coconut seeds and the other half with the chia seeds.
  2. Place a coconut dot on the chia seeds and a chia seed dot on the coconut.

Mimi’s ABC Frozen Ice (Apple Banana Cinnamon)

  • 1 organic mashed banana
  • 1 organic mashed apple. (You can lightly boil the apple and puree it or use organic applesauce.)

Combine both fruits, sprinkle cinnamon to taste and freeze. This is a healthy and tasty dessert option.

Mimi’s Chilled Cinnamon Couscous and Vegetable Salad

  • 2 cups of water
  • 2 tablespoons of organic coconut oil
  • 1/4 teaspoon of organic cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon of organic turmeric
  • 1/4 teaspoon of chopped raw organic peeled ginger root
  • 2 cups of organic couscous
  • 1/2 cup of organic raisins (optional)

Boil water with coconut oil, cinnamon, turmeric, and ginger root. Then add couscous and raisins. Cover the pot, remove from the heat and leave standing for 10 minutes.

Transfer this mixture to a large salad bowl, then add the following:

  • 1 cup of chopped organic zucchini
  • 1/2 cup of chopped organic carrots
  • 1/2 cup of chopped organic scallions
  • 1/4 cup of chopped organic green and red peppers
  • 1 1/2 cups of organic garbanzo beans
  • 3 tablespoons of organic vegetable oil
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons of organic lemon juice
  • salt to taste. I usually add 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt.

Chill for several hours and serve over your favorite organic lettuce leaves and garnish with chopped organic toasted almonds.

Mimi’s Favorite Cinnamon Ginger Tea Elixir

Combine 3 large chunks of fresh, organic ginger root, 3 chunks of organic turmeric root and 4 organic cinnamon sticks in a pot with water and bring to a boil. Allow this tea to steep for several hours and add organic honey and organic apple cider vinegar to taste. You can add a little more or less of each ingredient according to your taste buds.

Mimi’s Tomato Basil & Rosemary Omelets and Veggie Frittatas

Adding fresh rosemary to your frittatas and omelets is a quick and easy way to get it into your diet. Try mincing the rosemary and combining it with the other omelet For the frittata, I use 4 organic eggs, ¼ cup of liquid such as homemade veggie broth, ¼ cup of organic dried rosemary leaves, and 1 cup of filling, including organic broccoli and organic red onion. Add your favorite organic cheese to both the omelets and the frittata if you like, and salt and pepper to taste. For the tomato basil rosemary omelets, I chose feta cheese. You can choose to forgo the cheese if you prefer.

Mimi’s Cumin Ginger Carrots Medley

  • 1 pound of carrots
  • 6 tablespoons of butter
  • 2 teaspoons of cumin
  • 2 cloves of chopped garlic
  • 1 teaspoon of chopped ginger
  • salt and pepper to taste

Liquefy the butter in a pan and add the cumin, salt, and pepper. Then add the carrots, garlic, and ginger. Sauté this veggie mixture until the carrots are at your preferred tenderness.

Mimi’s Mouthwatering Raw Ginger Chocolate

Grate 2 chunks of organic ginger root with a cheese grater and set aside.

Combine:

  • ½ cup organic coconut oil
  • ½ cup of raw organic honey
  • ¼ cup raw organic cocoa

Mix well and then add a few drops of vanilla extract. Once ingredients are combined, add the shredded ginger and mix. Then separate the mixture into cupcake holders and freeze.

Mimi’s Blueberry Banana Muffins

This recipe calls for 1 ¾ cups of your favorite organic flour.  I like a combination of almond, amaranth, and quinoa flour in equal portions.

Combine:

  • 1 ¾ cups of flour mixture
  • ¼ cup of organic whole oats
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ cup of organic coconut oil
  • 3 ripe bananas
  • 1/3 cup of organic coconut sugar
  • 2 large organic eggs
  • 1/3 cup of organic almond milk
  • a dash of organic vanilla extract
  • 1 ½ cup of organic frozen blueberries

Mix well and separate into cupcake holders and bake on 375 for 30 minutes or until golden brown.

Mimi’s Blueberry Flaxseed Pancakes

For this  sustainable breakfast dish, combine:

  • 2 well-beaten organic eggs
  • 1 cup of organic buttermilk
  • 2 tablespoons of organic vegetable oil
  • 1 stick of organic melted butter
  • 1 cup of your choice of organic gluten-free flour such as brown rice flour or quinoa and amaranth flour
  • ¼ cup of organic ground flaxseed
  • 3 teaspoons of baking powder
  • 1/3 cup of organic honey
  • 2 cups of organic blueberries
  • 3 mashed up organic bananas
  • a nice pinch of organic cinnamon
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Gardening Shed Or Outdoor Storage – What’s the Environmental Price?

When looking for a garden building or shed, many people just care about the size, the price, and how much stuff they can fit inside.  Many of us want to make sure the garden building we are buying is ethically made and won’t cause lasting damage to the environment. There are some things to look for to make sure your garden building is made in a way that sits right with you.

Check For The FSC Logo!

The easiest way to make sure that your wooden shed or garden building comes from a sustainable source is to look for an FSC logo on the product. The FSC is the Forest Stewardship Council. Their aim is for any product approved by them to have 70 percent of its wood to come from forests that are well managed. It is quite tricky to know exactly what the FSC logo on a garden building means, but it is something that many shed merchants will display with pride. Some even go so far as to have sections dedicated to garden buildings that are made with FSC approved wood. We think this is great, and it should be the first thing you look for.

One thing that is worth noting is that some garden building retailers don’t display the FSC logo, but they make mention of it in their shed description. So if you do not see the logo, be sure to read the description. Of course, you can always directly ask the merchant or even shoot the folks at FSC an email to ensure the merchant you are looking at is on the up and up.

Look Into The Treatment That Is Used

Most sheds these days come with just a basic basecoat treatment. You will have to give it a coating of wood treatment once it is installed. Some people are a little bit nervous about things like this as they are worried about what kind of chemicals are in the treatment they are using. We have looked, looked again, and then looked some more and we cannot find a retailer who actually tells you exactly what is in the treatment they offer. Usually it will be a case of them just saying something like, “Buy a 2 L tub of golden brown wood treatment.” If you look, you will most likely see the brand, but that is all the information you are likely to find.

Most of the time, wood treatment will be fine. It is made to look after wood so it really should not have any harmful chemicals in it. But you can always just take a look at the brand of wood treatment the retailer offers and do your own little bit of detective work to see if the treatment is environmentally sound.

Is The Wood The Garden Building Is Made From Sustainable?

This is not really something that many shed retailers are going to be talking a whole lot about, but as someone who cares about the environment, you will want to make sure that the wood they are using is from trees that grow fast. Just have a look at the kind of wood the shed you are interested in is made from and then you can do your own little bit of homework.

What Kind Of Labour Was Used To Make The Shed?

Was the shed made by people who were treated right and paid a fair wage? Of course, this is not something that is just out in the open on most retailers sites. But for the most part, you can easily find information about a retailer and the different brands of garden buildings online. You can then find out a little about the manufacturing processes that are used. Many sheds that are sold in the UK are actually made in the UK, but it really does not hurt to do a little bit of homework to find out exactly how the shed was made.

Do Not Be Scared To Ask Questions

You will have noticed that a few times we have said that you will have to get in touch with a retailer to make sure the shed, bike shed, summerhouse, or whatever it is you are looking at is made in a way that you feel is right. Here we have a checklist of questions that you should ask to make sure the shed or garden building you are looking at is right for you.

  • Was the shed made with FSC approved wood?
  • Who makes the shed and was it made in a fair way? (no slave labour)
  • What is in the wood treatment?
  • What kind of wood was used, and how quickly does it grow?

These are simple and basic questions, but if you get the answer to these you will know for sure if the shed was made ethically and from sustainable sources.

If you want to look more in depth at how to be sure your future garden building is ethically manufactured, check out the following guide here.

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New Trend in Architecture – Green Building

Summing up the first decades of the green building trend, one expert said, “When all was said and done, there was a lot more said than done.”

Well, that adage has been turned upside down in the last ten years. Call it Green Building 2.0! A new, exciting wave of buildings for residential and commercial use boost eco-friendly design and systems using sustainable materials and methods.

The process begins with architecture.  Designing and building the proper form of a structure to sustain functions allows living and working in ways that have less negative impact on the environment.

Why Do Builders Go Green?

There are several reasons why green designs are rising in numbers and stature around the world.

The Demand

Per the U.S. Green Building Council, “Buildings are responsible for an enormous amount of global energy use, resource consumption, and greenhouse gas emissions.” We’d all like that to change, and, to borrow from Gandhi’s famous line, we want to support the change we want to see in the world. That means living and working in buildings that cause less harm to the environment and perhaps even benefit it. While this vision is most prevalent among Millennials, it is taking root across all demographics.

Corporate Image

Perhaps we’re being a touch cynical here, so more positively stated, the developers of the eco-friendly buildings in which we live and work want to be responsible corporate citizens. Green buildings are good for their image because they are better for the world.

Environmental Reasons

More core than demand and image, here are the reasons and percentages of respondents in a global survey that gave them for building green:

  • Reduced energy consumption – 72%
  • Lowered greenhouse gas emissions – 27%
  • Protected natural resources – 27%
  • Reduced water consumption – 25%
  • Improved indoor air quality (IAQ) – 17%

These 2012 figures from the World Green Building Council’s Smart Market Report show significant growth in most categories over 2008 numbers.

How Green Are Builders Getting?

Saying that a building is green is a sure bet only if it is sheathed in a forest green or rich emerald. When the discussion is about a building’s environmental impact, then the issue is one of degrees. It’s far easier to implement green building practices in new construction. However, the clear majority of the world’s buildings were erected before the move to eco-safe construction was popular.

In light of that, information from the Smart Market Report lists categories of green building products used around the world with recent data (2012) and projected figures for 2017. Most of the products are part of retrofitting an existing building. Here are the numbers from key categories. The first figure is 2012; the second is what is projected for 2017 based on surveys of building owners and managers:

  • Electrical such as photovoltaic panels: 63% / 62% (the only category where the percentage decreased)
  • Mechanical such as efficient HVAC systems: 60% / 63%
  • Heat/Moisture Protection such as vapor barriers to prevent air leaks: 60% / 64%
  • Building automation for lighting and other systems: 57% / 62%
  • Waste Management such as recycling/reuse programs: 52% / 61%
  • Furnishings such as those made with recycled and/or recyclable materials: 34% / 44%

The report states that 89% of all respondents reported making advancements in at least one category. The countries where the most buildings are being outfitted with green building materials are Singapore (100%), Brazil (96%), and South Africa (96%). By contrast, the U.K. (85%) and the U.S. (84%) are among the industrialized countries that are lagging.

The most sustainable office in the world, the head office of Geelen Counterflow in Haelen, the Netherlands. 99,94% score in the international Breeam certification system. Completely constructed from sustainablyforested wood and generating 50% more solar energy than it consumes. (PRNewsFoto/Geelen Counterflow)

Today’s Greenest Buildings

Here’s a short list to get you started on exploring structures on the cutting edge of building green.

The head office of Geelen Counterflow in the Netherlands (see above and see featured image above) has been called “the most sustainable office building in the world.” Among its green practices is the use of solar energy that generates 50 percent more electricity than required to power the building. All materials used in construction, including recycled timber, are sustainable.

The K2 apartments in Victoria, Australia, is a 92-unit development built in 2007 that is the winner of many prestigious awards. The complex boasts low greenhouse gas emissions through using less than 50 percent of the norm for electricity, natural gas, and water. Rainwater is treated for human use, and greywater is recycled as two of the development’s resource-conserving practices.

Taipei 101 in Taiwan is dubbed the world’s tallest green building for its LEED Platinum certification, the highest awarded by the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design organization.

One Angel Square Manchester, UK achieved an “Outstanding” rating by BREEAM, the Building Research Established Environmental Assessment Methodology. Its green methods include a combined heat and power (CHP) plant fed by pure plant oil that produces excess electricity to send back to the grid. LED lighting, recycled waste, and rainwater are also utilized.

Other buildings worth investigating for their sustainability include Shanghai Tower in China, One Bryant Park in NYC, The Crystal in London, and the beautifully designed Micro Emission Sun-Moon Mansion in Dezhou, China.

The Central Role of Manufacturers

Green buildings wouldn’t be the success they are without manufacturers making necessary production adjustments for energy-efficient equipment systems and the parts to support them. Nowhere is this more evident than in the various fields of clean, alternative energy such as geothermal, solar, and wind. In 2015, $396 billion AUD was invested globally in renewable energy while just $180 billion was invested in fossil fuel development.

This increase in demand for clean energy means, according to one manufacturer, that, “…manufacturers of equipment used to produce carbon-based, fossil fuel-derived electricity are discovering that the designs of some of their equipment must be adapted for use with alternative energy sources.” Making those changes turns the vision of alternative energy into reality.

The eco-shift from fossil fuel-derived power to alternative/renewable sources is a flow:

  1. The need: Change must happen
  2. The vision: Change can happen
  3. The demand: Make the change to green buildings that use alternative energy!
  4. The investment: Here’s $396 billion AUD to make the changes
  5. The manufacturing: Here’s the equipment and parts required to change to clean, renewable energy
  6. The implementation: We have changed the world!

What part will you play in supporting the change you want to see in the world? It might be as simple as advocating for green building updates through the first three steps above where you live or work. If you’re a decision-maker in those settings or a building owner, an investor or manufacturer, then your role is found in steps 4-6.

The change is possible; be the change you want to see for a greener world.

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Glutathione Detoxification – A Comprehensive Overview

Whether or not you know it, there is a good chance that your body is overflowing with bacteria and toxins. Almost everyone has some level of toxins flowing through their body. Many people will believe that they’re not being impacted until it is too late. The only effective way to eliminate these toxins from the body is by performing a detox.

There are many different types of detoxification methods that can be utilized, but the glutathione detox is widely considered to be the most effective. In fact, many experts suggest that the glutathione detox is one of the most effective defenses against toxins and disease.

What Is Glutathione?

First and foremost, you should familiarize yourself with the chemical at the center of the detoxification process. GSH or Glutathione is actually an antioxidant, which is found in plants, fungi, animals, and some specific strains of bacteria. The antioxidant has proven to be very effective for protecting against free radicals, lipid peroxides, and even heavy metals. Glutathione will protect the body’s cellular components, which can be damaged by reactive oxygen species. This is one of the many reasons that the glutathione detox is so enormously effective and beneficial.

A Depleting Resource

Unfortunately, you do not have access to an unlimited amount of glutathione. In fact, glutathione is a depleting resource, which can be diminished by a variety of factors such as taking specific types of medications and failing to consume a sufficient quantity of minerals and vitamins. More importantly, it should be known that glutathione will actually decrease over time.

Finally, you should realize that each person will have a different level of GSH in their body. Your age, gender, diet, activity level, and race can play a role in determining how much GSH you have inside of your body.

What Does Glutathione Do?

Believe it or not, glutathione has a wide array of responsibilities. Nonetheless, the antioxidant’s most important duties are directly linked to the immune system. By maintaining an appropriate amount of glutathione in your body, you will be able to keep your immune system working at optimum levels. In return, this will decrease the frequency of illnesses while simultaneously helping to stave off disease. At the same time, glutathione is known to play a very important role in helping the body detox.

Glutathione will also go to work inside the patient’s liver to make sure toxins can be removed a little bit easier.

Detoxification and Autism

Autism is characterized as a neurodevelopmental disorder that causes repetitive and restrictive behavior. A recent study shows that males are at a higher risk of developing autism than females. However, all children are at risk regardless, but once the child has been diagnosed with the disorder, the parents will need to learn how to deal with it. Humans remove toxins from their body via four different routes: kidneys, lungs, digestive tract and skin.

When the toxins build up inside the child’s body, the child will begin to act out. However, there is a solution to this behavior – routine detoxification. According to Dr. S. Jill James, children who have been diagnosed with autism have impaired methylation, which is how glutathione is made. When the methylation is impaired, the body will not go through the normal detoxification processes.

The impaired methylation is most likely due to glutathione deficiency. When reduced levels of glutathione are detected, the child will be at a higher risk of environmental toxicity from harmful substances such as pesticides, heavy metals and PCBs. Children who have been diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) have impaired detoxification pathways.

Importance Of Cellular Antioxidants

Cellular antioxidants play a major role in detoxification. When there is a deficiency of these antioxidants noted, the body will fill up with harmful toxins. One of the most important cellular antioxidants that have more prevalence over the others is glutathione or GSH for short. It is crucial that everyone learns about the role glutathione plays in detoxification because its primary responsibility is to prevent the buildup of free radicals in the body.

Glutathione is made up of three different amino acids: glycine, glutamine, and cysteine. Glycine is classified as the “simplest amino acid”, but it is still important because it helps to form glutathione. Cysteine is classified as a sulfur-bearing amino acid. Glutamine is the most abundant amino acid found in the human body. The three amino acids work together to combat free radicals, which are linked to chronic illnesses like cancer.

Medical experts refer to glutathione as a “redox molecule”. The redox process is where a molecule undergoes both the oxidation and reduction cycles. During the oxidation cycle, the molecule will release electrons and during the reduction cycle, the molecule will gain electrons. The oxidation state is increased during the oxidation process and decreased during the reduction process. These processes are a little difficult to understand, but they play a huge role is trying to help the body combat free radicals and prevent organ toxicity.

Glutathione and the Human Organs

Body builders, athletes, and professional weightlifters monitor their glutathione levels because they are more aware of its importance than the average person. However, it is crucial that everyone gets on board and starts doing some research on one of the most important cellular antioxidants.

Our bodies contain an abundance of cellular antioxidants that are responsible for protection from toxicity and free radicals. High-energy demand organs utilize a major amount of biological energy or ATP. High-energy demand organs include the heart, liver, kidneys, gut, brain, and lungs. These organs are continuously working, which is why they utilize so much biological energy.

When biological energy is utilized by the mitochondrion, the production of free radicals is inevitable. Free radicals are the end product of this process and if they are not kept in check, the individual will experience organ toxicity. Environmental toxins can be found throughout the entire body. The organs have to work constantly to prevent the toxins from causing damage to the cells and their functions. The cells will utilize glutathione to combat free radicals and if a deficiency is detected, the body will be at a high risk of disease, inflammation, and infection.

Glutathione and other cellular antioxidants are crucial for the detoxification of carcinogens. An example of a dangerous carcinogen is benzene, which can be found in the exhaust produced by automobiles. Other carcinogens include lead, cadmium, and mercury. Everyone is exposed to these chemicals when they venture outdoors, but over exposure will call for a higher demand of glutathione.

Increasing Your Glutathione Levels

If you intend to perform a glutathione detox, you will need to learn how to increase your levels of this incredibly important antioxidant. While it is possible to purchase glutathione supplements, it should be known that these products are not entirely effective on their own. At the same time, the glutathione consumed in your diet might not be enough to help stimulate the detoxification process. If you visit the hospital and need more glutathione, the doctor will actually give you NAC or N-acetylcysteine. This is another amino acid, which can help your body produce more glutathione on its own. Elderly individuals can consume NAC supplements to increase their glutathione levels to the norm.

Ways to Boost Your Body’s Level of Glutathione

Exercise More

It should be no surprise that working out and exercising can be enormously beneficial. Exercise is important for various reasons, with increased glutathione levels being one provided benefit. A recent study examined the impact of cardio, weight training, and a combination of each. It was determined that patients who performed a combination of cardio and weight training, were able to increase their glutathione levels more than others. If you’re interested in performing a glutathione detox, you will definitely want to add a little cardio and weight training to your daily schedule.

Increase Sulfur Intake

There are certain chemicals, which can help the body produce more glutathione. Sulfur just happens to be one of the most notable precursors to glutathione. By increasing your intake of sulfur, you will also be able to increase the amount of glutathione that your body produces. With this in mind, you will want to begin eating foods that are high in sulfur. Onions and garlic are two good choices. By adding one of these foods to your daily intake, you will be able to ensure you’re not suffering from a glutathione deficiency.

Try a Ketogenic Diet

A great deal of research has been conducted regarding the impact of a ketogenic diet. Recently, it was discovered that a ketogenic diet could actually increase the levels of glutathione in rats. It is unknown how this could translate to humans. If you’re interested in switching to a ketogenic diet, you should be prepared to increase your intake of fat while lowing your carbohydrate consumption. A ketogenic diet will offer an abundance of different benefits, including combating cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, and diabetes. More importantly, a ketogenic diet could help your body produce extra glutathione and that can prove to be helpful for inducing a glutathione detoxification.

Increase Diary Intake

If you’re a fan of milk, you will have a very easy time gaining more of the most powerful antioxidant. In fact, you will not need to change anything at all. It has been widely circulated that cow’s milk can help the body produce a greater amount of glutathione. Remember that glutathione is comprised of three amino acids. This includes glycine, glutamate, and cysteine. Unfortunately, cysteine and L-cysteine are often destroyed by the pepsins and enzymes found in the gut. When the cysteine is bonded, it can then be absorbed into the bloodstream.

There are several sources of bonded cysteine. Children who are breastfed will receive more because bonded cysteine can be found in breastmilk. Also, it is possible to obtain a suitable replica in the form of undenatured whey protein from raw cow’s milk. Pasturized milk will not offer the benefits.

Benefits Of A Glutathione Detox

So, why would anyone be interested in performing a glutathione detox anyway? The truth of the matter is that there are an abundance of reasons. Performing any type of detox can be a great way to remove harmful toxins from the body. However, by incorporating the glutathione antioxidant, you will receive even more benefits.

Protects From Free Radicals

First and foremost, you should realize that glutathione is an antioxidant and is capable of fighting off free radicals. By increasing your body’s glutathione content, you will be able to stop free radicals from damaging your cells and making you sick. Without a sufficient amount of glutathione, the body would not be able to protect itself from infections and diseases.

Fights Liver Cancer

While you’re at it, you should realize that glutathione usually works inside of the liver. It plays an important role in detoxing the life and protecting it from disease. Recent animal studies have proven that glutathione can help fight off liver cancer. At the same time, this antioxidant may be able to help cancer patients, who are undergoing chemotherapy. It is also believed that it can help maintain kidney function in patients that are forced to undergo bypass surgery.

Combats The Symptoms Of Parkinson’s Disease

Parkinson’s disease can be devastating and downright debilitating. Today, there are very few effective treatments for Parkinson’s. Nonetheless, it is believed that injecting glutathione intravenously may help alleviate the disease’s symptoms to some degree because Parkinson’s is generally associated with a decrease in the body’s level of dopamine. On the flip side, glutathione is capable of increasing the patient’s sensitivity to dopamine. This can effectively decrease the impact of Parkinson’s.

It is also believed that glutathione can fight off neurotoxins, which may be linked to the disease. While further research is essential, it is safe to say that glutathione may prove to be an effective way to combat Parkinson’s, while also diminishing the disease’s symptoms.

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