Author: KIHC

We’re thrilled to add 2 new members to KIHC: Kaye-Lee Pantony, Psychotherapist, and Graham Wiltshire, Certified Athletic Therapist and Osteopath (Thesis Writer).

These 2 new members come to us with many years of professional experience that will fill some of the gaps in our team effort to provide truly integrative healthcare. Kaye-Lee’s additional energy and skill for workshops and e-courses will help our workshop space reach its full potential as a unique and critical health resource for our clients and the Kingston community.

~ Dr. Christina Vlahopoulos, ND

As a child, I loved a Greek food that my mom made called tourrsi – it tasted tangy and delicious. Little did I realize it was a traditional form of fermenting cabbage for winter storage – many of you would know it today as sauerkraut.

Long before refrigerators and freezers were invented, foods needed to be preserved to last and one simple way was through lacto-fermentation. Lacto-fermented foods have increased levels of lactic acid which decreases the chance of spoilage. They also help with overall gastrointestinal health due to their high enzyme and probiotic content. It is the Lactobacillus bacteria specifically that generates the fermentation, which inhibits food spoilage. Fermented foods such as kefir, sauerkraut, miso, tempeh and yogurt, aid the production of a more acidic pH in the gastrointestinal tract, thereby inhibiting the growth of undesirable bacteria. Fermented foods are like probiotic supplements in food form.

Sally Fallon, author or Nourishing Traditions, is an advocate of fermented foods for their nutritional benefits and natural probiotic effect:

“The proliferation of lactobacilli in fermented vegetables enhances their digestibility and increases vitamin levels. These beneficial organisms produce numerous helpful enzymes as well as antibiotic and anticarcinogenic substances. Their main by-product, lactic acid, not only keeps vegetables and fruits in a state of perfect preservation but also promotes the growth of healthy flora throughout the intestine.”

In 2005 researchers released a study that demonstrated how Polish women who ate 4 or more servings of sauerkraut per week during adolescence were 74% less likely to develop breast cancer. Also back in 2005, researchers at the Seoul National University claimed that 11 out of 13 chickens infected with the avian flu and who were fed kimchi (a spicy version of sauerkraut), started to recover after one week. This may be because a healthy digestive tract helps to balance the immune system, which plays an important role in cancer prevention and flu recovery.

It is important to note that many fermented foods purchased in supermarkets today are pasteurized and therefore have few bacterial benefits. Furthermore, commercially prepared goods are often loaded with sodium. Making your own fermented foods can be easy, rewarding and most of all tasty! As with all food preparation, adequate hygiene techniques and care is required to prepare the food safely so, if fermenting for the first time, please seek guidance from an experienced food fermenter.

Most of us know that water is essential for life, and makes up between 50% and 90% of our bodies. Even our bones are made up of about 22% water. Water is critical for oxygen transport throughout our body, energy production by our cells, and even regulation of our DNA! Symptoms of dehydration include irritability, constipation, headaches, and fatigue. Chronic, even minimal dehydration can lead to weight-gain, depression, allergies, heart disease, chronic low energy, hormone imbalances, and chronic pain. Clean drinking water is one of the most simple yet powerful components of an optimal wellness plan.

Water intake recommendations vary. My general recommendation is to drink 35mL of water for every kg of body weight (16mL per lb), which includes the water you consume in food. More water is recommended for those who eat a high-protein diet, consume diuretics (e.g. “water pills”, coffee, pepsi), experience frequent diarrhea or vomiting, and who regularly exercise strenuously. Less water may be required for individuals who consume more than 7 servings of fresh fruit and vegetables a day.

Drinking this much water can also be dangerous: Water can be the trojan horse that carries toxic chemicals into our body.

Most sources now agree that bottled water carries numerous health risks, is poorly regulated for safety by government authorities, and is a significant environmental threat. Water carried in plastic bottles that contain bisphenol-A, a chemical added to Canada’s Toxic Substances list in October, mimics estrogen in the body and can significantly increase the risk of some cancers and birth defects. A Statistics Canada report from last year found that 91% of Canadians examined had detectable levels of this chemical in their body. The Environmental Working Group has published some of their own (American) research, here, and here.

Though arguably a healthier alternative to bottled water, Kingston tap water is heavily chlorinated to protect us from infectious microbes and some Kingston homes (Utilities Kingston estimates 3500 customers), still receive water from old lead pipes or from copper pipes with lead solder. Many officials consider this chlorine and lead exposure to be of minimal health risk, but it is becoming abundantly clear through environmental research and chronic disease medicine that the cumulative environmental exposure to heavy metals, solvents, and other toxic substances is responsible for severely reducing the body’s capacity to ward off chronic illness and cancer. The Center for Disease Control website contains some of the most up-to-date research on environmental chemical exposure and its impact on health.

The water you choose to drink impacts your health significantly on a daily basis. Choosing healthier water can have far-reaching health benefits.

Reverse Osmosis water is generally considered to be the most clean water. RO systems effectively remove most heavy metals, harmful microbes, solvents, and presumably chemicals we don’t typically test for in our water. They also remove most minerals. The lack of natural minerals in the RO water appears to require your body to secrete its own minerals to maintain osmotic balance, thereby causing widespread mineral deficiencies in the body and corresponding illness. Some smart RO companies pair their systems with unique mineral cartridges that attach to under-the-counter home RO units. (MineralPro is one such company. This website contains some useful information for interested readers. Please email KIHC for contact information of our local distributor.)

Other disadvantages? RO systems generate a lot of waste water – up to 3 litres of waste water for every 1 litre of water consumed. They are also of the most expensive filtration units (but arguably with good reason), and least portable.

By comparison, carbon filters such as the Brita Filter, clean readily available tap water without any waste water, and they effectively remove chlorine. They are usually the most economically priced water filter, and are very portable. On the down side, carbon filters are not very effective at removing heavy metals such as lead, and they produce a water with an acidic (low) pH that requires your body to work harder to maintain good health and balance.

The Santevia water unit contains a carbon filter and an additional 5 filtering units that address chlorine, heavy metals, and other chemicals. Though the resulting water is quite clean, it is not as clean as RO water. However, relative to RO water, Santevia water is more environmentally friendly, (no waste water produced or chemicals used), is infused with minerals (i.e. does not cause mineral deficiency), has a high (alkaline) pH that is associated with prevention and treatment of numerous chronic degenerative diseases, including osteoporosis and cancer, is portable, and less expensive than an RO system. The Santevia water unit is bisphenol-A free.

We do not recommend relying on any one of these systems for well water that could potentially be contaminated with life-threatening microbes, such as disease-causing e-coli bacteria.

Santevia units may be ordered via the internet for $199. For the month of August, these units will be available at KIHC for $165, on sale from our usual $180 price.

It’s hot out there and everyone’s thirsty! We’re receiving more inquiries than usual about healthy filtered water, which is why we decided to offer the Santevia Water units for $165 instead of $180 for the month of August. (The cost online is $199!) This price includes the 3 water filters and a 1 year manufacturer warranty. For more information, please review the manufacturer website and see our article about different water sources and filtration systems, below.

~ Joel Ackerman, RMT

One of the most common questions I get, especially from new clients, is ‘What exactly does massage therapy do?” This excellent question is not easily answered. Relaxation, stress reduction, and relief from muscle tension are some well-known benefits of massage, but did you know that it can also benefit weight-loss and detoxification?

It’s easy to forget that all of our body tissues, including bones, muscles, and ligaments, are composed of cells that use nutrients and energy (called metabolism) to complete their job. The waste products from metabolism are collected by lymph and blood vessels in the body and ultimately eliminated by our liver or kidneys. Occasionally these wastes are not managed optimally, and this can be associated with fatigue, poor immune system function, difficulty losing weight, and muscle pain.

This is where massage therapy can play an important role. Massage is an excellent tool to release tense muscles and fascial restrictions that impede normal flow of these systems. Massage therapy detoxifies our tissues by improving blood and lymphatic flow to undernourished areas so that metabolism is healthier. Massage directly promotes the release of wastes and stagnant lymph so that they can be eliminated properly by our body. Moving this fluid back into the lymphatic and circulatory system results in increased tissue health, bolstered immunity, and promotes healthy weight loss! This process is exactly why so many clients report the need to urinate after a massage. This is also why we encourage clients to drink lots of water after a massage, as it helps to enhance this elimination process while replenishing the tissues’ water supply.