Sulforaphane - a powerful detoxifier
January 2020 ‘Hazardous’ the quality of this morning’s air in Melbourne. Shit. I question the long term impact on our health these fires will have. Not only is our Nation suffering right now but are we all going to be physically suffering for many more years to come too? Instead of just wondering and hoping for the best why don’t you all do you what you can now to clear your body from the excess waste and pollutants in the air and help reduce the internal inflammation that these conditions can cause.
The cruciferous compound sulforaphane is a powerful inducer of our detox enzymes, so most research has focused on its cancer-fighting abilities but recently there has been studies looking at its ability to fight the inflammatory impact of pollutants. A super positive outcome was shown with broccoli sprout extract, those taking this product did not experience inflammation in their airways from pollutants and their overall inflammation went down, and stayed down! Awesome!
In addition to broccoli extract which you can get from your naturopath ensure you are eating at least a good 2-3 cups a day of a mix of cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, brussel sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower and kale.
I also love the idea of blood cleansers such as chlorella and spirulina. Both are super high in vitamin c and other antioxidants which can help protect the body from harmful molecules and help clear the body of heavy metals. I take 2-3 heaped teaspoons of chlorella daily. I will be doubling this dose for a while until the pollution reduces.
Pomegranates are also available right now and fabulously high in vitamin c too. Get in to them too! Kiwi, berries, oranges, carrots, spinach and peppers are also great. Omega 3 fats in hemp seeds, algae oil, linseed, chia seed walnuts, brazil nuts and monounsaturated fats in avocado, almonds, sunflower seeds and olive oil can also help to reduce inflammation.
I know there is so much on people’s plates right now and people’s lives have been tragically destroyed. Just remember though no one is any good to anyone when they are not well, be sure to look after yourselves on the inside too.