Water Safe Test Kit

By Dr. Nicole Sundene

Is your home drinking water safe?

I was a little shocked to find out that mine had toxic LEAD in it, after using eVitamins Water Safe Drinking Water Test. I knew the chlorine would be in there because I can taste the difference, but the lead was a bit of an unpleasant surprise.

Although we have done away with lead pipes and lead paint since the 1980’s, many fixtures are still partially made of lead, and this toxic metal that causes anemia, decreased neurological functioning, and immune dysfunction should be filtered out!

I realized that my Aquasana filter was indeed doing me a great deal of good, and that I needed to also start giving my parade of pets safe filtered water too. It is worth the extra few minutes a day it takes to fill up their water bowls. Pets are especially susceptible to environmental toxins.

Sometimes I worry as a Naturopathic Physician that I am over-paranoid about toxins in our environment, so the  Biochemist in me grabbed this test kit over at eVitamins to see if maybe I didn’t need to be so paranoid after all.

Now I know why most patients I’ve tested for heavy metals in Seattle consistently show high lead and mercury levels.  We are drinking poison! I wish mercury was included in this test kit, but most high quality filters also filter mercury out of our water as well as other toxic substances such as pesticides, bacteria, chlorine and so forth.

I like the simple Aquasauna filters that can be added to your kitchen sink. Don’t forget the shower filter too, or you can filter the water straight at it’s source with a whole home water filter (somewhat expensive but highly recommended for those with chronic disease or small children constantly bathing in it.)

Since the ONLY thing we should be drinking is WATER (read my “Obesity Tax on Soda” tirade for more info) you CAN afford a water filter when you give up soda and  juice.  Filtering the toxins out at the kitchen sink is the most economic way to go. Save  your favorite glass  jars and fill them in lieu of plastic bottles. Be cool….be a “jar drinker” like me! You can also use stainless steel containers for small children that should not be trusted with glass, such as my fav brand I can guarantee is aluminum free: Klean Kanteen.

You should especially purchase this Water Safe Test Kit if you have developing children in your home, suffer from chronic disease, or if your water has a funky odor. Water should never have an odor!

Dr. Nicole

Related reading:

Detoxify Your Home

Mold: Getting Rid of it in Your Home

Decreasing Home Pollutants

Chlorine Shower Filter: Anti-Aging

Liver Support Protocol

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Mercury Filling Removal: Detox Support

With all the controversy over mercury fillings I have been reading about lately, I would like to take a moment to just briefly summarize the basics of safe mercury amalgam removal, as well as how to support the natural elimination of mercury from your body.

I tend to be very conservative in my thinking as a naturopathic physician, and hope that my patients and readers go about having their mercury amalgams replaced sensibly, and slowly over time. The rationale for this, is that you are likely exposed to much more mercury in the removal process than what is released from chewing your food or grinding your teeth. Read more

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The Healing Power of Mexican Food

Happy Cinco de Mayo everyone!

Since many of you are going out for Mexican food today, I thought I would talk about all the great super foods abundant in traditional Mexican fare.

Mexican food can be extremely healthy if prepared properly, try to avoid the greasy dishes in lieu of the lighter ones with veggies.

Fajitas and burritos are much better choices than nachos and tacos, and just as delicious. Especially AVOID LIKE THE PLAGUE those nasty things that are deep fried (um… can someone tell me how to spell chimichanga?)

Keep in mind that tonight you may also want to avoid drinking your calories. The average margarita or daiquiri runs around 1000 calories!

If you have two of those that is the amount of calories you need for the whole day! Yikes.

Let’s not drink our calories. I know strawberry daiquiri’s are delicious but before you decide to have one ask yourself whether or not you want to be drinking all that sugar, food coloring and calories. Save making drinks like that at home with REAL fruit. Read more

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Detoxification Diet

Although “treating the cause” of an illness is fundamentally most important, next up is to “remove the obstacles to cure”. Eating a clean diet allows your body a vacation from it’s usual duties and thus the time and energy to restore to a more optimal state of functioning. The more you clean up your diet and lifestyle the better state of health you will experience in the long run. The following is a basic detoxification diet. Be sure to check with your physician first to determine if a detox is the right choice for you.

BEVERAGES
Include in diet – mint, spearmint, comfrey, licorice root, eucalyptus, dandelion, chaparral, red clover, chamomile. Coffee substitute: Pero, Cafix.

Avoid – alcohol, cocoa, coffee, milk, soft drinks and decaf coffee.

BREAD
Include in diet – millet, rye, buckwheat, whole wheat, bran, corn, 7-grains, soya tortillas, only whole grains, freshly ground or sprouted, free of all preservatives.

Avoid – white bread and blended bread made out of white flour

CEREALS
Include in diet – millet, oatmeal, brown and wild rice, buckwheat groats, barley, cornmeal, cracked wheat and 7-grain, freshly ground if possible.

Avoid – processed cereals which are puffed, flaked, etc., NO WHITE RICE.

DAIRY PRODUCTS
Include in diet – no dairy products. Tofu (soy cheese) is OK. Milk substitutes: soy, sesame or diluted tahini milk, rice milk, use nut milks sparingly, no eggs in any form.

Avoid – eggs, milk, cheeses

FATS
Include in diet – most cold-pressed, unsaturated oils such as, safflower, sesame, walnut, corn, soy and soy lecithin spread

Avoid – butter, shortening, margarine, saturated oils & fats, cottonseed oil. Rancid and continually heated oils.

PROTEIN
Include in diet – cold water fish (baked, broiled, poached) tofu, all legumes

Avoid – beef, pork, poultry and veal

DESSERTS
Include in diet – fresh, whole fruits, fruit cocktails, stewed fruits, natural fruit gelatin, whole tapioca. Sweeteners: honey, sorghum and maple syrup (in moderation)

Avoid – Canned or frozen fruits, all pastries, custards, sauces, ice cream & candy

FRUITS
Include in diet – fresh fruits organically grown if possible. Apples, apricots, bananas, berries, cherries, currants, grapes, guavas, grapefruit, lemon, mango, melon, nectarine, oranges, papaya, peaches, pineapple, pears, plums, persimmons, tangerines

Avoid – sprayed and sulfured fruit, canned or frozen fruit.

JUICES
Include in diet – only fresh unsweetened juices if possible. Fruit: apple, berry, cherry, grape, grapefruit, lemon, orange, pear, pineapple, prune. Vegetables: beet, carrot, cucumber, celery, garlic, onion, peppers (red or green), radish, red cabbage, turnip. Peel sprayed vegetables or wash thoroughly.

Avoid – all canned and frozen juices

NUTS & SEEDS
Include in diet – limited amounts of nuts, particularly fresh, raw walnuts, almonds, pecan and peanuts. Raw nut butters, freshly made only. Seeds: sunflower, chia, sesame and pumpkin.

Avoid – roasted and/or salted nuts and seeds. Cashew, brazil and pine nuts are too high in oil.

SOUPS
Include in diet – home made soups made from listed ingredients. Brown rice, barley or millet can be added. Miso soups with vegetables.

Avoid – canned and creamed soups, fat stock, bouillon or dehydrated consomméé

POTATOES, PASTA & GRAINS
Include in diet – baked or steamed potatoes with jackets and mashed. Potato salad seasoned with salad dressing. Millet, brown rice and all kinds of pasta & macaroni made from buckwheat, whole wheat, soy and vegetable flower without eggs.

Avoid – French fries, potato chips, grilled potatoes, white rice, white flour noodles and macaroni.

SEASONING
Include in diet – chives, garlic, parsley, sprouts. Herbs: Laurel, marjoram, sage, thyme and savory. Kelp, vegetables and herb seasonings (that contain no sodium chloride “table salt”). Salt substitutes: “Spike”, “Vegit”, “Veg Sal” and soy sauce.

Avoid – spices, pepper and table salt

VEGETABLES
Include in diet – raw or freshly steamed, organically grown if possible. Artichokes, asparagus, beets, carrots, celery, chives, corn, cucumbers, endive, green and wax beans, green peas, lentils, lima beans, onions, peppers, potatoes, tomatoes, yams, watercress, kale, beet tops, radish, red cabbage, etc.

Avoid – sprayed, canned or frozen vegetables.

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Hidden Sources of Mercury

While you and your doctor are considering the possibility of Chronic Mercury Toxicity or while you are looking for ways to remove mercury in your immediate environment, avoid the items below. All items listed contain various amounts of mercury. Using them without precautionary measures could intensify chronic mercury toxicity symptoms.

Foods
Tuna – canned or fresh
Shellfish – shrimp, lobster, crab, oysters, etc.
Other large saltwater fish – swordfish, salmon, cod, etc.
Carrots-non organic
Lettuce
Grains treated with methylmercury fungicides – especially wheat
Kelp and other seaweeds

Cosmetics
Some hair dyes – read contents
Mascara – waterproof type especially
Skin lightening creams

Medications
Preparation H
Toilet paper made from recycled paper
Calomel – body powders and talc
Mercurochrome
Merthiolate
Laxatives containing Calomel
Psoriasis ointment
Calamine lotions
Contact lens solutions
Vaginal gels – especially those that are contraceptives

Miscellaneous
Latex and solvent – thinned paints
Fabric softeners
Floor waxes and polishes
Air conditioner filters
Wood preservatives
Cinnabar – used in jewelry
Felts
Adhesives
Tattooing
Batteries with mercury cells
Sewage disposal
Fungicides for lawns, shrubs and trees

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