EVERYTHING ABOUT
Optimal Health Strategies for 2022
Every week I am posting about everything you need to know about hormones. This weeks topic is about Optimal Health Strategies for 2022
Did you know..
- Do you even know what “optimal health” is?
- WHO states that ‘Optimal Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity’.
- Have you ever wondered what your life would be like if you didn’t have your health?
- Our health determines our quality of life and how we get to experience life.
- It doesn’t determine how wealthy we are, the stuff we have, or the vacations we take.
- Having optimal health will, however, determine how we experience the wealth, the stuff and the vacations.
- So optimal health is like the lens through which we experience life.
- Then WHY do we take it for granted?
- WHY do some of the wealthiest and most successful people in the world ignore their health, let it decline to the point of disability or disease, and say “I would give all my money to have my health back” or to have “optimal health”?
- Probably because we are not taught what optimal health really is and what it means to us for our entire life or even how we should take care of our health.
- Optimal health is one of our most prized possessions which nobody talks about.
- Focus on optimal health while you still can
- My top 3 strategies for 2022 – more sleep, more magnesium and more Vitamin D.
Meet Sally and get to know all about Optimal Health Strategies for 2022
Intro
More Vitamin D
More Bone Health
Less Chronic Inflammation & Omega 6 fatty acids
More Sleep
We all know how important sleep is – check my blog and radio show about sleep
- Every organ has its own biological clock and the brain is a “master clock” that synchronizes all the other clocks and bodily functions to match the 24-hour light and dark cycle – called the circadian rhythm.
- Retrain your circadian rhythm for better sleep
- Consistent bedtime routines, even at weekends
- Bright light (natural if possible) immediately you wake
- Open the window for more oxygen
- An upset circadian rhythm can affect
- Mood
- Creativity
- Memory
- Ability for the brain to detoxify and repair
- Physical repair
- DNA expression
- Chronic disease risk
- Lifespan
- Pretty much everything
Optimal Sleep Cocktail
- Set a ‘get ready for bed alarm’ 1-2 hours prior and begin to wind down
- Stick to a schedule – Regular sleep and wake times also at weekends
- Bedtime latest 10pm
- Eat food latest 3 hours before bed
- Avoid caffeine after 12 noon
- Avoid training after 6pm.
- Get minimum 30 minutes fresh air every day, preferably with sunshine.
- Careful with alcohol it disturbs sleep quality and increases liver detox, which can wake you up between 1 – 3 am – avoid alcohol after 7pm
- If you have to get up and pee during the night avoid turning on the bright lights and avoid drinking fluids 2 hours before bedtime.
- Create a bedtime ritual – Take a hot bath with lavender and Epsom salts / magnesium
- Turn out the lights – Careful with the blue light exposure from TV, iPhones, computers etc. – stop minimum 2 hours before sleep – use red light to counteract the blue
- Empty your head for thoughts by writing a diary or gratitude list or a to do list before bed
- Meditation or breathing exercises are also good for ‘brain clutter’
- Keep the bedroom cool during the night – 16 – 19 degrees C
- Save your bedroom for sex and sleep
- Sleep in complete darkness, or as close to it as possible
- Eliminate as many EMFs in your bedroom as possible
- Keep all electronic devices at least 1 meter from your bed
- Consider separate bedrooms if sharing your bed with a partner impairs your sleep.
- Pets may also need to be kept in another room if they disturb your sleep.
Natural Sleeping Aids
- Melatonin – is a hormone produced especially in the pineal gland in the brain, which signals to your brain & nervous system to wind down, by blocking the excitatory neurotransmitters dopamine, noradrenaline, histamine, serotonin, acetylcholine. Especially helpful if you have jet lag or are doing shift work. Can be taken as a supplement but be sure you need it as taking too much can create wild dreams and keep you awake. Doctors can prescribe Circadin and melatonin can be bought through the internet or in the US. Test you Melatonin levels.
- GABA – is a neurotransmitter and the peacekeeper of the nervous system, blocking the excitatory neurotransmitters to bring calm and induce sleep together with melatonin. GABA as a supplement doesn’t pass the blood brain barrier to get into the brain, but works through the Vagus nerve in the gut sending calming messages to the brain
- Tryptophan / 5HTP – are converted to serotonin which is converted to melatonin, supplements especially together with magnesium and B6 can help increase melatonin levels and thereby undisturbed sleep.
- Magnesium – this mineral is known to relax muscles and induce sleep. A combination of magnesium, melatonin, and vitamin B may be effective in treating insomnia regardless of the cause. Magnesium appears to increase levels of gamma aminobutyric acid / GABA, the peace keeper of the nervous system. Studies report that insufficient levels of magnesium in your body may be linked to troubled sleep and insomnia. Best magnesium is Magnesium Glycinate or Threonate, both amino acids help with the production of the calming neurotransmitters GABA and Glycine.
- Glycine – an amino acids is a calming neurotransmitter. Taken immediately before bedtime may help you fall asleep faster and improve the overall quality of your sleep. Glycine is also essential for collagen so taking extra may help collagen production during the night.
- Lavender – lavender’s soothing fragrance is believed to enhance sleep. Use the oils in a warm bath or spray on your pillow.
- Valerian root – is a herbal supplement that may improve sleep quality and anxiety for some.
- Passionflower – tea or extract may help slightly improve sleep quality in some individuals.
- Chamomile – German chamomile is best taken as a tea. Roman chamomile has a bitter taste and may be taken as a tincture. Both types may have a calming effect, which can help people feel relaxed and more prepared for sleep.
- Cannabis – brings calms through its effect on the body’s endocannabinoid system. A few drops of Cannabis oil under the tongue before bed can aid sleep and you don’t experience the euphoria the THC cannabinoid may bring.
Contact Grateful Meds for more information.
More Magnesium
Necessary for
- As a co-enzyme for MANY enzyme processes,
- Energy metabolism / ATP
- Protein production
- DNA and RNA production
- Plays an important role in nerve impulse transmission to muscles and in the heart’s impulse conduction, where it has a relaxing function, maintaining heart rhythm
- Contributes to nerve and muscle function in general
- Helps regulate blood glucose levels and insulin
- Enhances the immune system by increasing Vitamin D absorption
You probably need extra magnesium if you
- Suffer from stress.
- Drink a lot of coffee / tea / soda, which will inhibit magnesium absorption.
- Deficient in Vitamin B6 – see the vitamin blog for more information.
- Suffer with osteoporosis or low bone density
- Suffer with high blood pressure
- Suffer from kidney and or gallstones, created by an imbalance calcium to magnesium and oxalates in plant foods.
- Suffer from muscle cramping.
- Suffer with menstrual problems.
- Suffer with blood sugar problems and or diabetes.
- Suffer from poor sleep.
- Suffer from depression.
- Suffer from anxiety.
- Lack energy.
Foods with magnesium
Magnesium is found everywhere in the diet.
- The green colour in nature comes from chlorophyl which contains magnesium, so everything green has magnesium
- Dark leafy vegetables are especially rich – remember to cook them
- Almonds – remember to soak them
- Dark chocolate
- Avocados
- Whole grains -remember to soak, cook them
Magnesium Supplements
Check the article on the blog about minerals and check the article ‘Understanding magnesium supplements’.
In this way you can chose the magnesium that suits your needs best.
For Best Effects
- Take before bedtime for better sleep
- After exercise to soothe the muscles.
- Epsom salt baths are a great way to get magnesium in.
More Vitamin D
- Foundational strategy for optimizing the immune system and for fighting infections
- Optimal Vitamin D can reduce the risk and severity of COVID-19 and other respiratory infections
- Ideally test vitamin D levels twice a year – winter and summer
- Optimize your vitamin D absorption by taking it together with magnesium and K2.
- Get more sun – Eat outside, work outside, move your office outside, walk & talk meetings outside
- 15 minutes of sun without sunscreen – as much of the body as possible, especially in the middle of the day. Makes for exciting walk and talk meetings 😊
- For more information about Vitamin D check the blog about vitamins.
Know your Vitamin D Levels
- Vitamin D deficiency: < 30 nmol/l
- Vitamin D insufficiency: 30 – 50 nmol/l
- Sufficient for most people: > 60 nmol/l all year round
- If you have osteoporosis and or kidney disease: 75 – 150 nmol/l is needed
Vitamin D Foods
- Cod liver oil
- Oily fish – sardines, mackerel, herring, eel, salmon
- Eggs.
More Immune Health
A healthy immune system protects us in 2 ways
- First by creating a barrier that stops invaders entering the body, this is the skin and mucous membranes ie. gut
- Secondly by producing poisons to kill any invaders that do get in.
- Supporting both these areas is of the utmost importance
Supporting Activities
- Improve gut health – see the article on more gut health in this blog
- Reducing sugar intake – sugar feeds invaders and increases inflammation
- Stay hydrated – good for mucous membranes and the skin
- Exercise on a regular basis
- More sleep – see the article in this blog
- Less stress – see the Less stress article in this blog
- Make sure the body has the necessary nutrients to make the poisons, ie eating nutrient rich foods like bone broth and organ meats
Supporting Nutrients
- Glutathione
– the body’s biggest antioxidant - Vitamin C
– recycles glutathione and in itself is an antioxidant, essential to kill microbes and deactivate free radicals, curbs excess inflammation in the body, many need to top on vitamin C - N-acetylcysteine (NAC)
– Supports glutathione production, thins mucus, lowers your chances of influenza infection and reduces your risk of developing severe bronchitis. - Elderberry extract
– Known to shorten influenza duration and reduce the severity of the flu. - Spirulina
– Reduces severity of viral infection. - Selenium
– Slows viral replication. - Zinc
– Essential for the normal development and function of many immune cells. Even mild deficiency can impair immune function and increase the risk of bacterial and viral infections. Deficiency is common in older people - Lipoic acid
– Helps boost type 1 interferon response, which prevent viral replication. - Sulforaphane
– activates NrF2 – (Nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2) a transcription-factor for the genes involved in oxidative stress, inflammation, immune response, energy production, live detox and methylation, and thereby a ’the master switch’ and multi-organ protector. - Resveratrol
– inhibit the replication of influenza viruses. - Vitamin D
– Essential for immune defence against bacterial and viral infections. Deficiency is relatively common especially as we age. - Iron/Ferritin
– Deficiency decreases the body’s ability to fight bacterial and viral infections. BUT excess can increase inflammation and oxidative stress and feed certain bacteria. - Magnesium
– Necessary to activate vitamin D and therefore important for the immune response. Magnesium deficiency is very common. - Folate
– Essential for making immune cells and a deficiency can be common.
More Gut Health
Poor gut health is the underlying cause of many symptoms and disease states and always the first place I start with my clients
Better Gut Health Cocktail
- Regular meal times
- Intermittent fasting
- Intake the last food at 6pm or minimum 3 hours before bedtime
- Avoid snacking
- Avoid environmental pollutants, aka pesticides
- Avoid Antibiotics
- Avoid anti-nutrients commonly found in most plant foods
- Avoid processed and manufactured foods
- De-stress – especially emotional
- More sleep
- Regulare exercise
Address any pathogens
Test if you have symptoms, such as:
- Bloating
- Pain
- Cramps
- Diarrhoea
- Constipation
- Bad breath
I advise testing to see what causing the symptoms, such as a dysbiosis, small intestine bacterial overgrowth, fungus, parasites, leaky gut etc.
https://gc.nordicvms.com/product-sibo_with_lactulose_breath_test-3828
Treat
Establish which pathogens through testing and treat with a targeted combination of supplements and if necessary, medication. For best results professional guidance is important.
- For bacterial overgrowth – BUY HERE
or BUY HERE
or BUY HERE
- For fungal infections – BUY HERE
Diets
- Food Elimination Diets
– Eliminate gluten, lectins, phytates, oxalates, tannins, grains, pulses, nuts, seeds, greens, (dairy and eggs)
– Low histamine diet
– Autoimmune protocol / AIP diet
- Bone broth diet – 7 days with only bone broth will resolve many issues. SEE BONE BROTH RECIPE HERE
- Carnivore’ish diet – focus on meats and organ meats, butter, cheese (if you tolerate dairy), beef tallow, fruit, avocado, squash, honey
Supplement
- Digestive enzymes to assist the breakdown of proteins, fats and carbs, to their smaller molecules, amino acids, fatty acids and mono-sugars – BUY HERE
- Probiotics can help rebalance gut microbes – BUY HERE
Getting A Good Poop
- Healthy bowel movements is a factor many ignore.
- The muscle puborectalis controls your ability to eliminate, preventing it while standing (which is a good thing)
- Sitting on a typical toilet, impairs full relaxation of this muscle, which is why you may need to push or strain
- Squatting aids full relaxation, making elimination easier.
- While squatting on the toilet seat may be impossible for most using a footstool will help get you into a “squatty” position or leaning forward, your hands touching the floor.
- Adding Squats to your daily exercise regime may change the way you poop 😊
More Bone Health
Having strong bones (and skin) is a must.
Previously an aging problem but due to the ‘need’ to be slim many women are experiencing low bone density before menopause.
Bones and Skin need Collagen.
Boost collagen production
- Bone broth – get a slow cooker. For those who don’t have time to make bone broth, buy bone broth collagen protein – see link below.
- Collagen powder – quality is important.
- Vitamin C (and hyaluronic acid) aid the production of collagen.
- Impact, weight bearing movements.
- Estrogen and Testosterone are the hormones which directly impact Collagen production.
Other important Bone nutrients
- Vitamin D3
- Vitamin K2
- Excellent product
- Test your levels
- Calcium
- Magnesium.
More Clean Water
More dangerous chemicals find their way each day into the ecosystem, spreading from one continent to another.
Filtering household water maybe more a necessity than an option
- Filtering drinking water is good practice.
- As we absorb approx. 60% of water through our skin filtering bathing water would also be good practice.
- Chemicals absorbed through your skin go directly into your bloodstream, bypassing the guts immune defence filtration system.
- Filtering the water as it comes into the house, then again at the kitchen sink and or shower is very good practice.
Common filtering options include
- Reverse osmosis
- Ion exchange
- Carbon block filters
- A combination of methods ensures the removal of the widest variety of contaminants.
Alkaline Water
- The “alkaline” in alkaline water refers to its pH level.
- The pH level is a number that measures how acidic or alkaline a substance is on a scale of 0 to 14.
- Something with a pH of 1 would be very acidic.
- Something with a pH of 13 would be very alkaline.
- Blood has a pH of 7.4.
- Regular drinking water has a pH of 7 – 8.
- Alkaline water has a higher pH 8 – 9.5.
- Some advocate that alkaline water can neutralize the acid in your body – I’m not so sure it’s the pH.
- Alkaline water also contain more alkaline minerals, such as Calcium, Magnesium, Potassium, Manganese, and Iron which give a higher negative oxidation reduction potential (ORP).
- ORP is the ability of water to act as a pro- or antioxidant.
- The more negative the ORP value, the more antioxidizing it is.
- So the more alkaline the water the bigger the antioxidant protection – this makes sense to me.
- The more acid the water the more antibacterial it is.
- The more alkaline the water is the more fat soluble it is – good for dissolving pesticides which are fat soluble.
- Some say it can help slow the aging process, regulate your body’s pH level, and prevent chronic diseases like cancer.
- Some say it is hype.
- I use a ‘Kangen water filter machine’ which lifts and sinks the pH.
- I have been drinking 9.5 pH water for many years and I love it.
- Does it work? Difficult to answer as I don’t know how my health would have turned out if I didn’t drink it. But I ‘believe’ it has been an important addition to my optimal health strategies.
More H:I:I:T Exercise
- “HIIT” is a broad term for workouts that involve short periods of intense exercise alternated with recovery periods.
- One of the biggest advantages of HIIT is that you can get maximal health benefits in minimal time.
- A typically HIIT workout is 10–30 minutes in duration.
- Activity can include sprinting, biking, skipping, or other bodyweight exercises.
Benefits of HIIT
- May help burn more calories than traditional exercise or burn the same number of calories in a shorter amount of time
- Can elevate your metabolism for hours after exercise. This results in burning additional calories even after you have finished exercising.
- Can produce similar fat loss to traditional endurance exercise, even with a much smaller time commitment.
- Can reduce waist circumference.
- May gain some muscle by starting HIIT, if your just starting up with exercise.
- Can reduce blood pressure and heart rate, primarily in the overweight or obese with high blood pressure.
- May be especially beneficial for reducing blood sugar and insulin resistance.
- Improves aerobic and anaerobic performance
HIIT Routine Examples
There are many ways to implement HIIT into your exercise routine, so you may need to experiment.
- A stationary bike – pedal as hard and fast as possible for 30 seconds. Then, pedal at a slow, easy pace for 2–4 minutes. Repeat this pattern for 15–30 minutes.
- Jog to warm up then sprint as fast as you can for 15 seconds. Then, walk or jog at a slow pace for 1–2 minutes. Repeat this pattern for 10–20 minutes.
- Squat jumps or lunge walking as quickly as possible for 30–90 seconds. Then, stand or walk for 30–90 seconds. Repeat for 10–20 minutes.
- Skip as fast as you can for 30-60 seconds. Then skip slowly or stand for 1-2 minutes. Repeat for 10-20 minutes.
More Green
Getting more ‘green’ in your life brings calm and creativity, so make sure you’re getting more in 2022
Ideas to Increase Greenery
- More house plants in your home and workspace will keep the environment free from stress and negative emotions.
- Plant a little garden – gardening is incredibly therapeutic.
- Maybe just paint a wall green which will encourage feelings of peace and harmony, even creativity.
- Get more green exercise, aka exercise in parks, forests.
- The Japanese practice shinrin yoku, which means forest-bathing, ie. slow walks through forests or parks – but hey you’ve got to be present, no smart phones.
More Gratefulness
Gratitude is the emotion that creates that warm, thankful feeling. Being grateful is possibly the most powerful of all the emotions, creating:
- Warmth
- Calm
- Deep sense of love
- Heart-felt sensations – literally you feel something in the heart area
- Compassion
- Humbleness
- All-embracing-ness
And who doesn’t want more of that?
Increasing Gratefulness
- Smile
- Be aware of all the small things in your life to be grateful for – there are many
- You have clean, running water
- You have electricity at your finger tips
- You have heat at the drop of a switch
- You have good health
- You have an amazing job
- You have a loving partner
- You have some wonderful friends
- Say out loud 3 good things that happen today
- Keep a gratitude journal
- Say thank you for something every 60 minutes – remember to thank yourself.
More Self-compassion
- Be more kind to yourself – don’t beat yourself up with ‘limiting self-talk’.
- Pamper yourself – take more ‘me time’ for pampering delights such as massage, beauty treatments, etc.
- Set more boundaries with the energy vampires in your life.
- Show yourself more grace and understanding when you get it wrong. We get it wrong until we get it right – its called learning. So think of getting wrong is just you learning something new, which means you are evolving.
- Self-compassionate individuals experience.
- More happiness.
- More positive body image.
- Better relationships with romantic partners.
Less Stress
Stress can be due physical, mental, emotional or chemical events
Causes of Physical stress
- Number of working hours
- When these working hours are – evening and night work is more energy demanding
- How much and when you exercise
- How much and when you sleep.
Solutions to Physical Stress
- Maintain Cortisol’s optimal production-cycle as much as possible 6am – 6pm activity / 6pm – 6am rest.
- Manage your day – what can you do better?
- Frequent breaks throughout the day, even power-naps
- More rest after 6pm
- Get ready for bed from 8pm – read my article about sleep here
- In bed latest 10pm
- Careful with excessive endurance training
- Train hard for short duration – see the article on HIIT training in this blog
- No training after 6pm
- Feet above your head is a good position to reduce stress
- Yin Yoga is a great de-stresser.
Causes of Mental & Emotional Stress
- The habitual way you think
- The habitual way you perceive
- The habitual way you feel, where feelings of anxiousness and fear are very stressful.
- The habitual role you have in your relationships with loved ones, work, money, etc.
Solutions for Mental & Emotional Stress
- Tools to control / change the way you think, feel and perceive, such as NLP, EFT, cognitive training, meditation, mindfulness, keep a diary, etc
- Move as movement is the quickest way to change your emotional state, such as dancing
- Counselling / therapy / courses
- Don’t worry be happy.
Causes of Chemical Stress
- Inflammation
- Oxidative stress
Solutions for Chemical Stress
- Anti-inflammatory diet & lifestyle – see less inflammation article in this blog
- Decrease free radicals – see the oxidative stress blog for more information
Less Chronic Inflammation
- Acute inflammation is a perfectly normal and beneficial process.
- Chronic inflammation on the other hand is a hallmark of virtually all disease.
How you reduce inflammation
- A combination of
– Reduce/remove/avoid the actions, conditions and foods that create inflammation
– Increase the actions and foods that decrease inflammation.
– Both are equally important
Reduce/Remove/Avoid
- Unresolved injuries, such as joint and muscle problems
- Chronic infections, unresolved infections
- Chronic allergies, such as foods, pets, etc
- Chronic gut problems
- Unstable blood sugar
- Stress increases inflammation especially in the gut
- Visceral fat produces inflammatory molecules
Avoid Pro-inflammatory foods
- Sugar especially food and drinks with added sugars, HFCS and/or artificial sugar
- Vegetable and seed oils and margarines, such as Soya, Cotton Seed Corn, Sunflower, etc. contain high levels of Omega 6 fats and trans-fats. Omega 6 fats are responsible for creating inflammation
- Processed meats and fats from commercially raised animals
- Excessive intake of alcohol, more than 2 units per day
- Gluten, ie. Flour and its products from wheat, rye, barley, spelt, and Graham, etc.
- Anti-nutrients like lectins, phytates, oxalates in greens, pulses, grains, seeds and nuts.
Increase / Add
- Maintain a stable blood sugar
- Maintain circadian-rhythm – Active between 6am – 6pm Rest between 6pm – 6am
- Good night’s sleep from 10pm
- Walking is man’s best medicine
- Intermittent fasting – READ BLOG
- Acupuncture type ’dry needling’ is excellent for joint and muscle pain.
Increase Anti-inflammatory foods
Intake of the following foods is shown to reduce inflammation
Organ meats
Liver, kidney, heart per gram weight have more anti-inflammatory nutrients than any other foods, try to eat them twice a week
Oily fish
Salmon, sardines, herring, mackerel and anchovies, though due to breeding and processing may contain less omega 3 fatty acids and more omega 6 and heavy metals, plastic, etc.
High fat fruits
Avocado and olives
Healthy fats
Olive oil, coconut oil, organic butter, beef tallow
Sulphur foods
Egg
Sea vegetables
Kelp and seaweed
Fermented foods
Work their “magic” by optimizing your gut flora. Kefir, natto, kimchi, miso, tempeh, pickles, sauerkraut, even olives
Herbs as tea
Rosemary, Thyme, Sage
Deeply coloured fruits
Berries, papaya, mango, etc smoothies are good
Be careful with excessive intake of the following foods as they contain many anti-nutrients, and Omega 6 fatty acids, which increase inflammation and oxidative and disrupt the gut.
READ THIS ARTICLE FOR MORE INFORMATION
Veggies
Broccoli, kale, Brussel sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, etc., should be boiled before consuming to reduce the anti-nutrients
Nuts
All nuts and nut butters, should be soaked before consuming to reduce the anti-nutrients
Grains
Especially those with gluten, such as wheat, barley, and rye should be reduced to the minimum or avoided completely
Pulses
Chick peas, soy beans and other beans, lentils, etc., should be soaked and boiled before consuming
Good supplements for inflammation
- Fish Oils – are major anti-inflammatory important for joint health, but also heart health, brain health and hormone balance. Levels of EPA and especially DHA fatty acids in the product are important. My favourite is Pure Artic Oli from. BUY HERE Login in with 4265940 and become a premium customer for the best prices. Take it as a medication for 1 month – 2 spoonsful am and pm. They also do a good collagen powder which is good for skin and bones
- Broccolox – a supplement of broccoli sprouts containing a sulphur molecule called sulforaphane (read about sulforaphane in the more immune health article in this blog), which increases the production of glutathione one of the body’s most important anti-inflammatory molecules. When choosing sulforaphane as a supplement it is important the product contains whole raw broccoli sprouts as sulforaphane is first produced during digestion. BUY HERE.
Less EMF Exposure
As ElectroMagnetic Fields / EMF’s are everywhere this can be challenging.
What are EMF’s
- An area of moving electrical charges.
- These fields can come from natural sources, such as
- Thunderstorms
- Sunlight
- The fields can be manufactured, such as
- Radio waves
- Microwaves
- X-rays
- Sunbeds
- Electric and magnetic fields also occur naturally within the body in association with nerve and muscle activity. The brain and nervous system runs on electromagnetic energy
- Some EMFs can be harmful.
- There are 2 types of EMF
- Ionizing – remove an electron – creating free radicals and oxidative stress
- Non Ionizing – don’t remove an electron – but that doesn’t mean they are safe in excess
- Visible light in the middle of the spectrum, marks the division between ionizing and non-ionizing radiation.
The EMF spectrum
- Gamma radiation
- X-ray radiation
- Ultraviolet radiation
- Visible light
- Infrared radiation
- Microwave radiation
- Radio waves
Ionizing
- Have higher frequencies and shorter wavelengths.
- Can remove electrons from atoms creating unstable atoms called free radicals which cause oxidative damage
- Common sources of ionizing radiation
- Gamma rays – cancer treatments
- X-rays
- Far Ultraviolet radiation
- Exposure should be limited
Non-ionizing
- Have a longer wavelength and a lower frequency.
- Cannot remove electrons and therefore do not create free radicals
- Can produce thermal energy in tissues that can lead to burns
- Common sources of non-ionizing radiation
- Near ultraviolet – although technically non-ionizing, may still excite and promote free-radical formation, even without ionization taking place. And can cause skin cancer, sunburn, and premature aging of skin,
- visible light
- infrared
- microwave
- radio waves
- low-frequency radio frequency (longwave)
- Present in many manufactured forms, such as:
- Sunbeds
- Smart phones, phone towers, Wi-Fi, etc.
- Microwaves
- Infrared radiation, such as heat lamps
- The general consensus is risk of damage from non-ionizing radiation is low, and it only occurs after a person has been exposed to high levels of the radiation for a long time.
- Question is what is how long is a long time?
- In 2011, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) from the World Health Organization (WHO) released a statement adding Radio Frequency electromagnetic fields including microwave and millimetre waves / 5G to their list of things which are possibly carcinogenic to humans.
Strategies to Reduce EMF Exposure
- Avoid over use of X-rays for diagnostic purposes
- Avoid over exposure to the sun
- Use Wi-Fi as little as possible – ‘get wired again’
- Connect your computer to the internet via a wired connection
- Opt for wired keyboards, mouse, printers and land line phones when possible.
- Shut off the Wi-Fi whenever it’s not in use, especially at night.
- Use a battery-powered alarm clock instead of your mobile phone or at the very least keep your mobile phone minimum 1 meter from your bed
- Avoid “smart” appliances, including smart TVs, consider a large computer monitor as your TV instead
- Remove all fluorescent lights and switch to LED or incandescent bulbs.
- Avoid carrying your mobile phone directly on your body – in your handbag ladies is better.
- Use the speakerphone on your phone when possible.
- Increase magnesium intake to minimum 500mg daily – magnesium can reduce the effects of EMF on calcium channels in your nervous system. BUY MAGNESIUM
- Spices have been shown to exhibited protective effects against EMF-induced damage, such as
– Cinnamon
– Cloves
– Ginger root
– Rosemary
Turmeric
- Try this great protein powder with many of the spices. BUY HERE.
Less Seeds and Seed Oils
- Seeds and their oils contain copious amounts of Omega-6 fatty acid – linoleic acid (LA)
- Excess omega-6 fatty acids acts as a ‘metabolic poison’ radically limiting mitochondrial function and therefore your ability to produce energy ATP
- Excess omega 6 fatty acids increase the production of pro-inflammatory molecules.
- They are highly susceptible to oxidation, increasing free radicals and oxidative stress – see more in the blog on oxidative stress.
- Omega 6 fatty acids found in all seeds, nuts, grains and legumes.
Less Limiting Self-talk
- Negative, limiting self-talk leads to limiting beliefs
- If you don’t believe you can you won’t even try
- Do you believe everything you tell yourself?
- Well it must be true right? I’m saying it and everything I say is true – mmm
- Know this – A lie repeated enough times becomes the truth
- How many lies are you repeating day in and day out that’s stopping you from moving forward and upwards?
- Start a new lie – ‘I am an amazing success’ repeat this day in and day out and see where it gets you
- Hence the saying ‘Fake it until you make it’.
Questions? Please don't hesitate to contact me
