Moms are the Hub of the Wheel in most families, the ones who set the tone, create the family life, and keep everyone connected. Keeping Mom healthy is key. Although most women are in tune with their bodies and have some idea of eating healthy and know how important lifestyle choices can be, there are many things that are not common knowledge about how to avoid diminishing health that can lead to disease states.

There are some specific steps that women can take to keep their body’s immune systems able to stay strong. The immune system should be intelligent, above all else. It should be able to recognize an invader, whether it is a pathogen, or a funky cell, and eliminate it. And the immune system should support normal and healthy tissue.

Here are tips for Moms and all women:

1)   Avoid plastics that have a #3 or #7 on the bottom of the bottle. These are plastics with BPA, which mimics estrogen and encourages cell growth where not needed. There are hidden plastics in the linings of cans, and watch out for plastic food wraps. To help the body get rid of plastics, a health liver is vital. Also a product called Parotid from Standard Process ™ will help the body to process the plastics.

2)   Keep the thyroid strong. Hypothyroidism is very common, partly because we lack essential minerals in our soil such as iodine, and partly because plastics and pesticides are hormone disruptors. Even if your TSH (thyroid stimulating hormone) is within the normal medical range on lab work, your thyroid may need some nutritional or herbal support. A thyroid that functions well is an integral part of your defense against cancer of the female organs. Supplementing with iodine is vital for thyroid health and would be smart to start with girls before puberty. I like Lugol’s liquid iodine, which has been around since 1840.

3)   Maintain a normal weight. Fat tissue makes estrogen. Too much circulating estrogen is a risk factor for cancer. http://www.cancer.org/cancer/cancercauses/dietandphysicalactivity/bodyweightandcancerrisk/body-weight-and-cancer-risk-adult-bmiThere is a lab test to find out if your body is able to break down estrogen safely, and excrete it. It is a dried urine test, and will reveal if herbal, nutritional and lifestyle changes are needed to lower breast cancer risk. Call our office to find out more about the test called an Estrogen Metabolites Dried Urine Test. http://www.livestrong.com/article/164671-estrogen-obesity/

4)   Eat Cruciferous or Brassica vegetables every day. These include kale, cabbage, cauliflower, Brussels Sprouts, broccoli. Cruciferous veggies help the liver to perform Phase 2 Liver detoxification. This means that toxins are broken down so that they can be eliminated, rather than circulating or storing in the body where they can damage cells, tissue or alter DNA.

5)   Shake, wiggle and bounce every chance you get. Find exercise that you enjoy doing. Go on long walks. Get up and move around often if you have a desk job. The benefits of moving around are mental, as well as physical, and you can’t be truly healthy without being fit and active.

Moms are too important to all of us, so pass these tips along to the favorite women in your life.