Monthly Archives: June 2022

Protect Yourself From Chlorine Toxicity

We LOVE our pool. It is a great way to beat the heat on these hot and humid summer days here in Oklahoma. I have even been able to move my exercise programs to the pool which has been a great transition.

With MTHFR in my family, chlorine is a huge issue and I have to make sure their bodies are able to detox or we can have a few rough days of emotions. I have found that we need to have routines and protocols in place with the level of chlorine exposure we see daily. This has upped my game in providing protection for myself and my family.

Our pool is a chlorine system. I do have plans to convert it to a salt-water system, but for now, we work with what we have. Please know that salt water systems still have chlorine in them, just lower levels, so you still need to protect yourself from chlorine toxicity.

First, you need to be on the look out for any of these symptoms, especially with extended pool use. If you are not sure if you or your children have MTHFR gene mutations, which affects detoxification pathways, these symptoms are good indicators that their pathway is either struggling or completely compromised. There are labs that provide quick results for you to know if you or your children have these genetic SNPs. I work closely with clients to help navigate what a world looks like after a SNP genetic defect diagnosis.

Order Labs For MTHFR Gene Mutations

There are several precautions you can make to help protect yourself from chlorine toxicity. Having the products on hand and being disciplined in your routine will allow you and your family to enjoy your vacation or summer being at the pool.

First, try and find an outdoor pool. Indoor pools put you at higher risk for respiratory issues. Your skin and lungs are two of your main elimination pathway organs. Help them out with at least being able to breathe while swimming.

Having foundations in place so your body can detox pathogens is the key to beating toxicity, again, especially for MTHFR defects. Having these habits in place before swimming will allow your body to combat the stress.

1. Shower BEFORE pool use. Hydrating your body before pool use helps to seal the barrier for your skin.

2. Use a Vitamin C Spray. Vitamin C spray forms a barrier of protection by neutralizing chlorine. Taking daily vitamin c and using a spray is a must. Have these in your swim bag every time you go.

3. Use a high quality coconut oil before swimming. Everyone knows water and oil do not mix. Using coconut oil before getting into the pool can act as a barrier and prevents chlorinated water from penetrating through your skin. Coconut oil also has a natural SPF of 4-5 and contains natural antioxidants.

4. Take a daily probiotic. Protecting your natural gut flora from the damaging effects of chlorine is very important. Probiotics will allow the gut to have continued colonization of good bacteria.

5. Take NaC daily. N-Acetyl Cysteine (NaC) is a non-essential, free form amino acid that is a highly stable form of cysteine. NaC has antioxidant properties and is necessary for the production of glutathione. Glutathione helps the body cope with oxidative stress which is associated with disease, and improves the number and activity of immune cells within the body. This allows your body’s detoxification pathway to remain open.

After swimming, put these protocols into action as soon as possible. Your skin is a thirsty organ that absorbs everything.

1. Shower again immediately after swimming.

2. Take an Epsom salt bath. Epsom salt bath (2 cups with bath). Epsom salt baths allow magnesium salts to enter the body and is effective for dry skin and for reducing inflammation.

3. Eat foods rich in Sulfur and Iodine. Sulfur helps in the production of an important antioxidant in your body called glutathione, which protects cells from damage. Iodine is necessary for iodine function. Chemically speaking, bromine and chlorine mimic iodine. High exposure to these elements leaves them to compete with each other leaving iodine the losing competitor and leaving your body iodine deficient.

4. Use a topical lotion with Magnesium and MSM. MSM is an organic sulfur that works synergistically with magnesium. It encourages detoxification and glutathione production, contributing to optimal health and immune support.

Order MSM/Magnesium Lotion

5. Take a liposomal glutathione supplement for two days. Liposomal Glutathione provides the body’s master antioxidant in a liposomal delivery system. Glutathione is an essential component of body clearing processes and liposomal delivery may be the best form of supplementation.

Knowing what to do and what to take can allow you to enjoy some fun summer activities while keeping your health’s priorities at the top of the list. The perks of having these habits in place? Not only is this helping your from chlorine toxicity, but from several other environmental toxins as well.

You can order these individual products or save some money by ordering the protection kit.

Chlorine Toxicity Protection Kit

Make your own Vitamin C Spray. Don’t forget to use it before and after swimming. Get your supplies here:

Ascorbic Acid

Essential Oils

WARNING ABOUT EOs and the sun. Some EOs are extremely photosensitive. Cedarwood can be one of them. If you choose to use a brand that has a photosensitive EO in your spray, use only as an AFTER-SUN spray. The reason why you’d want this oil in your spay is because of its lymphatic stimulant action and skin healing properties. Just make sure to use AFTER sun exposure. You can also omit it altogether if that is your comfort level.

Glass Spray Bottle

I hope this helps you enjoy your summer. Finding solutions to minimize health crises just adds an extra layer of peace to your life. Who couldn’t use more of that in their life?

Blessings,

Stacey Upchurch, CHHP

Disclaimer
All material on this website is provided for your information only and may not be construed as medical advice or instruction. No action or inaction should be taken based solely on the contents of this information. Instead, readers should consult appropriate health professionals on any matter relating to their health and well-being.
*This site contains affiliate links for products I love. This means I earn a commission if you make a purchase through one of these links.*

Are You Taking the Correct Probiotic?

Probiotics

Many healthcare practitioners believe that overall health begins in the digestive tract. Poor digestion compromises all parts of the body because the digestion of food provides fuel for all body processes, organs, and systems. The GI tract also plays a prominent role in immune health. The colonization of beneficial microorganisms has to be in place for the immune system to work properly. You would be shocked to know how many clients who have a compromised immune system are not on a probiotic.
Just like any living species, the environment for it to thrive in must be the focus. Individuals must be aware of what destroys the balance of the good and bad bacteria in their GI tract. If harmful organisms proliferate, the delicate balance is disturbed and it becomes very difficult for helpful bacteria to maintain their territory and to colonize the intestinal tract. Antibiotics from medications, certain foods and water tend to kill off both the beneficial and harmful bacteria, and thus disrupt the normal healthy balance of intestinal microorganisms.

Not all probiotics work the same. Individuals have different needs that require different strains of probiotics.

Probiotics vs. Prebiotics

Probiotics are beneficial bacteria that are normally present in a healthy digestive tract. They are important for proper digestion, prevention of yeast overgrowth, and synthesizing vitamin K. Probiotic bacteria, or “good bacteria,” promote favorable balance of intestinal microflora. The human intestines harbor between 300 and 1000 different species of flora. Some people estimate that there are one hundred billion or one trillion bacteria per gram of colonic content in the large intestine. This amount is ten times as many cells as there are in the human body!

Probiotics are naturally occurring in various types of foods like buttermilk, cheese, kefir, miso, sauerkraut, tempeh, and yogurt. However, most individuals are not consuming enough of these foods to colonize the GI tract and are consuming foods that are destroying the few they do have. Bacteria are continually in competition for colonization space. Beneficial bacteria has to win this battle for homeostasis.

Prebiotics are the “food” probiotics live on. They’re carbs your body can’t digest. So they move to your lower digestive tract, where they help the healthy bacteria grow. Sources of prebiotics are apples, bananas, berries, garlic, green veggies, oats, tomatoes, onions, and wheat. Eating a diet full of these foods will help insure your probiotic is getting “fuel” for its job. This is also a warning to those who are on a continuous KETO diet. You need some carbs for fuel (prebiotics) to work for the probiotic.

Frontier Biotics

This is a general probiotic I recommend for individuals who have their health foundations in place and are looking for a general broad spectrum for healthy colonization.

Recommended use for:

• Daily Multi for GI Tract
• Normalizing Digestion
• Supporting Regularity

Frontier Biotics is a non-dairy probiotic formulation produced from an all-natural source of beneficial microorganisms. It is designed to support digestive tract health and provide ingredients that support proper immune function and microbial balance in adults. Frontier Biotics contains some species of the numerous microorganisms that naturally populate the human gastrointestinal tract.

About the Ingredients:

Lactobacillus acidophilus (La-14): well-suited for intestinal survival, strong adhesion to intestinal wall, enhances immune regulation, inhibits common pathogens.

Bifidobacterium lactis (Bl-04): high tolerance to survival in intestinal conditions (acid & bile), strong adhesion to intestinal wall, maintains & rapidly restores microbiota after antibiotic therapy, improves immune response, may reduce inflammation.

Bifidobacterium longum (Bl-05) and Bifidobacterium breve (Bb-03: discovered in 1899 in the feces of breastfed infants and are the most abundant species in the intestines of nursing babies. Adheres well to intestinal wall and survives acid and bile.

Lactobacillus plantarum (Lp-115): Occurs spontaneously in naturally fermented plant-based foods like olives, sauerkraut, & kimchi. Used as starter in sourdough bread, meat products, & wine. High survival rates in human intestines (bile, acid, pepsin, and pancreatin). Modulates immune system and fights disease-causing bacteria.

Lactobacillus rhamnosus (Lr-32): Like the others, is well suited for survival in intestines (acid and bile) and adherence to intestinal wall. Anti-inflammatory and immune regulatory effects. Lactobacillus casei (Lc-11): Found naturally in fermented meat, milk, and vegetables, this strain is used as a started culture in fermented food products. This strain inhibits common pathogenic bacteria, is highly tolerant of acid and bile thus survives well in the human intestinal tract.

Lactobacillus salivarius (Ls-33): this species inhabits both the intestinal tract and the urogenital area. It modulates the immune system and inflammation, perhaps helping in colitis. Also inhibits common pathogens and is well-suited for intestinal survival.

SBC II

Recommended to support a more aggressive approach for:

• GI health
• Immune System
• Yeast Infections
• Diarrhea
• Gastrointestinal Balance

Stains:

Saccharomyces Boulardii (BioOtic) is a nonpathogenic yeast that has been proven to support the gastrointestinal tract. Research studies have proven that S.Boulardii may work by modulating the body’s immune response, thus helping to improve the resistance to enteropathogenic bacteria.

Bifidobacterium lactis (Bl-04): high tolerance to survival in intestinal conditions (acid & bile), strong adhesion to intestinal wall, maintains & rapidly restores microbiota after antibiotic therapy, improves immune response, may reduce inflammation.

The Bl-04 strains benefits include:

  • A long history of safe use
  • Well-Suited for intestinal survival
  • Gastrointestinal health and well-being
  • Beneficial modulation of immune functions

Intestinal health and Immune function
• Over 60% of your bodies immune cells live in the mucosal cells of the intestinal tract. This provides the body with the first line of defense against any foreign invaders. It is designed to activate and fight off any foreign invaders such as toxins, bacteria, yeasts, viruses, chemical plus many other things we are exposed to on a daily basis.

• Maintaining a normal and balanced microbial ecological system is vital to maximizing the immune system. This very delicate and complex system contains over 400 different species of probiotics and over 1 trillion cells.

Super Biotics


Recommended to support:

• Maximum Strength
• Auto Immune Support
• Support Bowel Regularity

Super Biotics contains 12 species of microorganisms from non-dairy sources. Because each strain has an affinity for a different part of the digestive tract, and a unique mechanism of action, a product that delivers multiple strains is preferable to single strain products.*

Super Biotics is:
· Guaranteed to contain 50 billion CFUs of microorganisms in each vegetarian capsule.
· A non-dairy multi probiotic product to best mimic normal human flora.*

Recommended For:
· Individuals who are lactose intolerant*
· Normalizing digestion*
· Supporting regularity*
· Urologic support*
· Immune system support*

About the Formula
Lactobacilli (L. acidophilus, L. rhamnosus, L. casei, L. salivarius, L. Plantarum, L. Paracasei) are lactic acid-producing bacteria found in the human intestines. Many strains of bacteria from the Lactobacillus family have been shown to support bowel movement regularity, urogenital & vaginal health, production of the lactase enzymes and protection of the gut lining from unwanted materials.

L. salivarius is a probiotic strain that has been shown to survive low pH conditions. It has also been shown to support immune system function by modulating certain cytokines (IL-10 and IL-12). In vitro studies have shown that L. Salivarius strongly adheres to human epithelia cell lines. This interaction with the mucosa demonstrates its support of the intestinal immune system.

Bifidobacteria (B. lactis, B. longum, B. infantis) are located in the colon and produce lactic and acetic acids, making the gut an inhospitable environment for unwanted microorganisms. (2, 3). Bifidobacteria (and other species) have been shown to promote bowel movement regularity.

Streptococcus thermophilus is also a lactic acid producer, which lines the gut wall to protect the gut microbiome.* One animal study even showed that Streptococcus thermophilus helped alleviate allergic response and reduce airway inflammation in antibiotic-treated mice.

BioPro ENT

Digestion begins in the mouth and is dependent upon healthy teeth and gums. BioPro ENT is a chewable probiotic formula that contains ingredients targeted toward supporting microflora balance in the mouth and upper respiratory system.

BioPro ENT provides a combination of clinically-studied probiotic strains shown to support the health of the teeth, gums, ears, and sinuses. Featuring BLIS K12TM(Streptococcus salivarius K12), this mint-flavored chewable formula is ideal for promoting a healthy mouth and upper respiratory system.

Now that you have learned how important beneficial bacteria is, you may remember the statement earlier….Bacteria are continually in competition for colonization space. Beneficial bacteria has to win this battle for homeostasis. This leads the question, “Can you develop an overgrowth of beneficial bacteria?”

The answer is, yes. Rare, but it does happen. This is called SIBO…. Small Intestine Bacterial Overgrowth. This causes pain, bloating and can lead to malnutrition. Some of the symptoms are pain in the stomach, especially after eating, bloating, cramps, diarrhea, constipation, indigestion, regular feeling of fullness, and gas. As you can see, this can be very tricky to diagnose because these are similar symptoms to those who also need beneficial bacteria and enzymes.

A breath test is one of the easiest ways to diagnose this and usually an antibiotic is prescribed for treatment along with dietary changes. This begins the wheel again to colonize healthy bacteria.

The key factor here is balance. Too much of anything is NOT a good thing. Get your health foundations in place and live an 80/20 lifestyle.

Need help? Book your consultation and become a client of The Fit Farmacy. I specialize in health foundations and digestion by returning the body to healing ranges.

As a client you receive free online concierge service for any questions not needing a consultation and 20% off all products and supplements.

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In-house and Online Consults available.

Disclaimer
All material on this website is provided for your information only and may not be construed as medical advice or instruction. No action or inaction should be taken based solely on the contents of this information; instead, readers should consult appropriate health professionals on any matter relating to their health and well-being.