Should You Detoxify ?

• Do you have trouble losing weight?
• Do you have high cholesterol?
• Do you have high blood pressure?
• Do you have blood sugar problems?
• Do you come from a family with diabetes, high cholesterol and obesity?
• Do you feel tired?
• Do you feel older than you are?
• Do you eat non-organic and packaged foods?
• Do you live near high traffic areas?
• Do you have trouble sleeping?
• Do you have environmental sensitivities or allergies?

If you answered yes to any of these questions feel free to contact Drew DiVittorio to set up a detox session where he will discuss how to detoxify gently, safely and effectively without any side effects.  Use contact form above.

Most detoxification programs out there today(for example, colon cleansing or supplement packages found online or in health food stores) can cause serious side effects and are not true detoxification.

Drew DiVittorio, DIPL, CH

HealthBody NYC.

1133 Broadway at 26 St

Suite 1023

Drew's Detox, Healing with Whole Foods & Herbs is a 14 Day Rejuvenation Program helping you to transition into a healthier way of eating after a 2 week light body detox & cleanse.

The 14-Day Rejuvenation Program

Drew combines the most current scientific research with Oriental Medicine, creating the safest and most effective way to cleanse your body, help you lose weight, and feel more energetic.

Now you can be guided through this 14 day cleanse with the support of a small group meeting once a week for 3 weeks. This safe cleanse will recharge, renew, and rejuvenate your body, mind and spirit- an opportunity to look at your eating habits and make some healthy changes.

Here is what you will get if you sign up for the 2 week program.

• DETOXIFICATION MANUAL WHICH INCLUDES MEAL PLANS, RECIPES, AND EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS
• PERSONALIZED HERBAL FORMULA BASED ON PULSE AND TONGUE READING TO BALANCE YOUR INTERNAL ENVIRONMENT
• SPECIFIC ANTIOXIDENTS TO SCAVENGE FREE RADICALS AND CLEAR HEAVY METALS
• FIBER, ANTIMICROBIAL HERBS AND PROBIOTICS TO CLEANSE THE COLON
• TAI CHI EXERCISES TO ENHANCE THE CLEANSING PROCESS
• A free 1 hour session with Drew after the program finishes.

The program is ongoing.

$250 for full program

Bring one friend, you pay $200.

(products not included)

You can have your own private detox if you bring at least one other person.  Set up your private(for 2 or more of your friends) detox with Drew Thursdays before 7PM or Saturdays 12-5PM

HealthyBody NYC

1133 Broadway at 26 Street, Suite 1023

(Drew's detox program is available anytime for 2 or more people).

To sign up for the 14-Day REJUVENATION PROGRAM with your own hours, email Myrna.

Remember,  you get one free private session with Drew if you sign up for the Detox Program.

What people are saying about Drew:

"Drew's 14-day cleanse and rejuvenation program is WONDERFUL! It has jump started my weight loss efforts by 13lbs, gave me more energy and made me more grounded. Drew has put together an excellent program that is easy to follow by using foods that you can acquire at your local market. Being a holistic health counselor, I have learned a great approach to helping my clients. If this is your first time thinking about doing a detox/cleanse or want to incorporate a detox program in your practice, I definitely recommend Drew's 14-day detox."

Stephanie Wedra, Certified Holistic Health Counselor

www.achievehealthylife.com

"Drew DiVittorio is an inspirational teacher who has the unique quality of bringing together the concepts of traditional Chinese Medicine with Modern Medicine and Nutrition. I recently attended his workshop for cleansing and detoxification in which we were given a wealth of information and guidance in order to bring our inner ecology into better balance. The workbooks he provided were comprehensive and understandable which made it probable that students would follow the cleanse because each day had a plan.

Furthermore his "in class" instruction was powerfully individualized and he was consistent in arriving early and staying late in order to fully answer every student's questions and concerns. Drew DiVittorio is truly a "Renaissance Man" in his vision for health and vitality as well as an exceptional mentor. I highly recommend attending one of his events to see for yourself, you will benefit from his expertise and care."

Rick Panson

www.Eat4pH.com

"Before I met Drew, I experienced stomach bloating and a whole host of other gastrointestinal problems. after following the Healthy Livng Program which included a variety of ancient Chinese herbs and healing foods, I look and feel more radiant. Thanks to Drew, I appreciate and listen to my body now."

Rachel Isaacs, LCSW
"Drew's knowledge of Chinese herbs and the 5 Elements is truly encyclopedic. You will reap great benefits from this class."

Nita Renfrew,

Grail Reiki Master/Teacher, and graduate

of Drew's one year study program for Health

Professionals

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Inflammatory foods can also produce free radicals which can lead to many chronic and acute diseases.  Excessive free radical production has been linked to cancer, heart and parkinson's disease.

If you want to feel your best with lots of energy and life force, try the following inflammatory diet for 30 days and please send us your feedback.  We will be glad to answer any concerns and questions you might have.(use contact at top of page)

In each food category, check off how many times you are eating any food in that group weekly.  Add the number in each group and get your overall total on the bottom.  Your grand total should not exceed 15 if you want to maintain a healhthy life style.  if you want to detox your body your total should not exceed 5.

Products made from wheat, spelt, kamut, rye or barley                                        

_____

_____

Beef, Pork, Cold Cuts, Frankfurters, Sausage, Canned Meats, Shellfish          

Milk, Cheese, Cottage Cheese, Cream, Butter, Yogurt, Ice Cream, Non -dairycreamers             

_____

Mayonnaise, Margarine, Processed Oil, Shortenings, Spreads                          

_____

Soda and Soft Drinks, Alcoholic Beverages, Coffee, Caffeinated beverages  

_____

White or Brown refined Sugar, High Fructose Corn Syrup, Chocolate

Junk Food; cakes, cookies, candy, potato chips, pretzels, etc.                            

_____

TOTAL TIMES PER WEEK EATING INFLAMMATORY FOODS                 =        

_____

Drew DiVittorio Dipl., CH (NCCAOM)
Taoist Healing Arts Consultant
Classical Chinese Herbolog & Nutrition
National Board Certified
Tel: 917-582-3739
Bridging the Gap Between Oriental Medicine & Modern Nutrition

I always get asked the question, "how do I detoxifly and what do you think about fasting".  The 'Master Cleanse always comes up in the conversation.  There are many versions of this concoction which includes water, apple cider vinegar, honey and cayenne pepper.  No matter which version you are using the same rule always applies to detoxification: YOU MUST EAT!

The Master Cleanse has been around since the early 1900's.  Since then, the research reports that calorie restrictive detoxification programs are harmful for the body.

Detoxification is an energy-dependent process that puts a metabolic burden on the body.  Water and juice fasts are not beneficial because they deplete the body of essential nutrients required for healthy detoxification.  These fasts can have many adverse effects including decreased energy production, breakdown of lean tissue rather than loss of fat, increased oxidative stress and blood sugar imbalance.

Instead of decreasing nutrients, you should be increasing protein and a variety of vegetables that help support the detoxification process.  When you fast you produce mass amounts of 'free radicals' thus needing essential nutrients to help manage the harmful effects of these 'free radicals'.

If you are are thinking of starting any kind of cleanse or detoxification program please ask questions and become informed first.

The John's Hopkins School of Medicine has identified the phytonutrient sulforaphane glucosinolate (SGS) as a natural long lasting antioxidant and detoxifier found in broccoli and broccoli sprouts.

Since its discovery, more than 200 publications have underscored its amazing ability to activate the body's natural detoxification and antioxidant enzymes, protecting cells from free radicals.

Watch this video, the information is amazing.

If you would like more information on this product, please use contact form on top of page.
 
Drew DiVittorio Dipl., CH (NCCAOM)
Taoist Healing Arts Consultant
Classical Chinese Herbolog & Nutrition
National Board Certified
Tel: 917-582-3739
Bridging the Gap Between Oriental Medicine & Modern Nutrition

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Everyone is on this water kick. I need to drink 8 bottles of water per day. "That's 48 bottles of water per week", as Lewis Black stated in his HBO special, "you need to bring a burro to the store with you just to carry all of those bottles.  The health benefits of drinking that much water have never be clearly defined.  However, the health benefits of tea have.

There are natural compounds in tea leaves called polyphenols.  Polyphenols are natural plant antioxidants. Antioxidants have been shown to prevent damage caused by free radicals to DNA and other molecules. 

Tea polyphenols have demonstrated several cancer preventive properties.  In addition to antioxidant activity, these compounds may reduce abnormal cell growth and inflammation, help the body get rid of cancer causing agents and restore communication between different cells in the body.

According to the National Cancer Institute, the relationship between tea consumption and human cancer has been studied in several different populations and at various cancer sites.  Some of the studies comparing tea drinkers to non-tea drinkers support the claim that tea-drinking prevents cancer.

In animal studies, different tea extracts, tea polyphenol mixtures, purified tea components, and tea infusions as the sole drinking fluid have consistently been shown to prevent cancer, including cancers of the colon, esophagus, liver, stomach, lung, breast, pancreas, and skin.  The purified component, epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), prevented colon cancer.  A polyphenol mixture with EGCG, Polyphenon E, has also shown cancer preventive properties in animals.  Animal studies were inconclusive as to whether EGCG or Polyphenol E caused DNA mutations that might trigger cancer growth.

Tea consumption began as far back as 2737 BC.  The second emperor of China, Shen Nung, discovered tea when tea leaves blew into his cup of hot water or so the story goes.  And then in 1876 Thomas Johnstone Lipton opened his first shop in Glasgow using American merchandising methods.  At present Tea consumption in on the rise especially Green Tea.

Snapple has a television commercial touting the health benefits of it's green tea with a mysterious ingredient EGCG .  In addition to the many health benefits of EGCG mentioned above, researchers at the Mayo Clinic using laboratory cell cultures shows that a component of green tea known as epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) [epi-gallo-cat-ekin-3-gal-ate] helps kill leukemia cells by interrupting the communication signals they need to survive.

So, instead of drinking 8 glasses of water per day why not drink 4 cups of tea and 4 bottles of water.  Guess what- you are still getting 8 glasses of water…you know why…BECAUSE TEA IS MADE WITH WATER…HELLO.  Beware of the water fanatics who claim that if you add anything to pure water like tea or lemon it will negate the health benefits…I'm yawning.

Drew DiVittorio Dipl., CH (NCCAOM)
Taoist Healing Arts Consultant
Classical Chinese Herbolog & Nutrition
National Board Certified
Tel: 917-582-3739
Blog: asianhealingartsinstitute.com
Bridging the Gap Between Oriental Medicine & Modern Nutrition

Technorati Tags: water, green, tea, polyphenols, antioxidants, free, radicals, cancer, prevention, inflammation, health

Oprah and Eckhart Tolle are teaching an exclusive online ‘free’ class by LIVE webcast starting March 3.  Check for details. 

Tolle says in "A New Earth" on page 75:

Fighting disease will not eradicate it.  Whatever you fight, you strengthen, and what you resist, persists.  Whenever I hear, "the war against" this or that, I know it is condemned to failure as in the war against cancer.  According to the Journal Of the American Medical Association, medical treatment is the third-leading cause of death after heart disease and cancer in the United States. 

Homeopathy and Chinese Medicine are two examples of possible alternative approaches to disease that do not treat the illness as an enemy and therefore do not create new diseases.

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In 1978 while I was still in high school my mother developed breast cancer.  I had no idea what detoxification was or how it worked.  The nutritional program that she decided to use to help her overcome her condition was the Gerson Program.  The main strategy of this program is detoxification which treats existing conditions and can prevent disease.  Now in my 14th year of private practice detoxification as a healing strategy is the most important part of my practice.

How does detoxification work and why is it so important?

Today we are exposed to many toxins from the environment such as the air we breath(including house hold cleaning products), the preservatives in food and of course toxins from alcohol, prescription and recreational drugs. Recent studies have suggested that long term low level exposure to toxins such as heavy metals (mercury, lead, arsenic), pesticides, and industrial compounds are associated with such conditions as chronic fatigue, environmental and chemical sensitivities and neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson's.  High levels of toxins in the body have also been linked to headaches, fertility problems, memory loss, and depression.

How does the body becomes toxic? There are two phases of the liver, Phase 1 and Phase 2, which are mostly responsible for removing toxins from the body.  Basically, Phase 1 (cytochrome P450) removes the toxins from the blood.  The result of Phase I creates a 'free radical' (free radicals are electrically charged molecules that damage healthy cells). The free radical is then conjugated by Phase 2 and excreted from the body through urination or through the bowels.  It sounds complicated but it’s really not.

Basically, the more toxins we are exposed to, the more free radicals we produce which then burdens the liver's ability (Phase 1 and Phase 2) to remove the toxins or free radicals.  The result is more free radical production leading to more cell death and chronic inflammation.

Not eating or fasting on water is NOT detoxification.  According to research, the liver needs specific nutrients to detoxify.  Depriving the liver during a detoxification program only produces more free radicals which can lead to a healing crisis or poisoning of the body.  A safe and effective detoxification program requires specific nutrients to enhance the liver's ability (Phase 1 and Phase 2) to remove the harmful toxins stored in the body.

Let’s take a look at some foods, herbs and nutrients that are powerful antioxidants that can help our liver effectively and safely excrete toxins from the body.

Green Tea is the most popular antioxidant on the market today and has anti-cancer properties.  The catechins (phytochemicals) in green tea have been shown to lower the incidence of Parkinson Disease.  The National Cancer Institute is currently investigating green tea's chemotherapeutic potential.  In addition, green tea helps to regulate blood sugar and improves digestion.

Milk Thistle (silymarin the active ingredient) is a well know liver protectant and powerful antioxidant.  Milk Thistle is the best antioxidant which should be taken on a daily basis to help the liver manage the many toxins we are exposed to.

Lastly, our B vitamins are essential for detoxification especially Folic acid.  Folic acid helps our liver to metabolize homocystine, an amino acid which is associated with inflammation and heart disease.  Folic acid also helps to rid the body of harmful heavy metals.

For more information on detoxification or my detoxification program please contact me(use contact above)

Drew DiVittorio Dipl., (NCCAOM)

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This was the cover of Time Magazine back in February 2004.  The article explains the link between chronic illness and inflammation as follows: 

Most of the time inflammation is a life saving procedure that allows the body to fight off infection from bacteria, virus and parasites. (Yes even in the industrial world we are constantly being bombarded by pathogens).  The instant any of these potentially deadly microbes slip into the body, inflammation marshals a defense attack that lays waste to both the invader and any tissue it may have infected.  Then just as quickly, the process subsides and healing begins.  Every once in a while, the whole feverish process doesn't shut down on cue. In any event, the inflammation becomes chronic rather that transitory.

Basically, this article is informing us that the constant exposure to pathogens (bacteria, virus, and parasites) will eventually lead to chronic inflammation, where the body cannot shut down the inflammatory response.  This leads to chronic illness such as autoimmune disease, cancer, heart disease, asthma, arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease, etc.

However, it is not just pathogens that we are being bombarded with.  We are also bombarded by man made pathogens which in most cases are more harmful.  For example, every time you breathe in a toxins from the air such as household cleaning products, pesticides, chemicals used to keep our lawns and sidewalks free from weeds or industrial generated air pollution, you are triggering inflammation.  Every time you eat a food with a preservative, a pesticide, a hormone, an antibiotic or refined sugar, you are also triggering inflammation.

The most exciting part of this research is that we now have one single healing strategy to help prevent chronic illness and promote healthy aging…..reduce inflammation.

What Can We Do?

Four Basic Rules To Reduce Inflammation:

1. Reduce stress-stress can also promote inflammation (the fight or flight response).
2. Supplement your diet with natural anti-inflammatory and antioxidants such as rosemary, green tea, and fish oil.
3. Use herbs to help you adapt to stress and also for foods that can trigger inflammation.
4. Start The Anti-Inflammatory Diet -avoid or eliminate the foods from the avoid list and replace them with those from the allowed food list.

AVOID Foods:

red meat, cold cuts, hot dogs, cured meats, shell fish, eggs, milk, cheese, yogurt, ice cream, all gluten grains (wheat, oats, spelt, rye, barley, processed soy, canned soups and vegetables (unless they are from a health food store), citrus (orange and grapefruits), coffee, alcohol, soda (especially diet), margarine, butter, refined oils, peanuts, peanut butter, all refined sugar and refined oils. (Trans fats are found mostly in processed foods)

Beneficial Foods:

Organic chicken, turkey, fish, legumes, soy and rice cheese and milk, non-gluten grains (millet, amaranth, buckwheat, quinoa, brown and white rice), unlimited fresh or frozen fruits and vegetables, canned soups without preservatives and high sodium contents, grain coffee or tea, nut butters such as almond and sesame, good fats from olive oil, fish oil, flax seed oil

Remember, you do not have to give up the foods from the avoid list completely, you just have to reduce them. You are allowed to eat 10 items from the avoid list per week…its easy.

Drew DiVittorio, Dipl,.(NCCAOM), Oriental Medicine & Nutrition

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My interview for the book focused on the theories and treatment of Asthma according to Oriental Medicine. The theory I discuss in the book dates back to the Hun dynasty (220AD).  It is a classical text, the Shang Hun Lun (Treatise on Cold Induced Disorders), written by one the Great Masters and Physicians of Oriental Medicine, Chang Chong Ching. 

This classical text brilliantly explains specific symptoms and guidelines for treatment strategies related to colds and flu that can be acute or chronic.  The treatment protocols are still being used successfully today. 

The way we work with Asthma or any western pathology according to Oriental Medical Theory, is to translate the condition into the diagnostic categories according to Oriental Medicine.  For example we can divide the causes of Asthma into many different categories.  For this discussion, however,  I will present two of them.

Causes of Asthma According to Oriental Medicine:

Cold Phlegm; a patient with cold phlegm will present with copious amounts of sputum, a productive cough, a thick white coating on the tongue and a slippery pulse.

Kidney Qi and Yang Deficiency a patient will present with fatigue, cold limbs, low back pain, poor concentration, exercised induced asthma or difficulty breathing on, a pale swollen tongue with a deep or submerged pulse.

Treatment Strategies According To Oriental Medicine:

With Cold Phlegm Asthma, we remove sweet sticky foods from the diet (see my shopping list) which will reduce dampness and phlegm.  Conversely, one should begin to increase warming spices to help induce sweating and clear phlegm.  A traditional herbal formula that may be used for this condition would be a combination called Minor Blue Green Dragon (xiao qing long tang), which clears cold phlegm from the lungs and stops wheezing.

With Kidney Qi & Yang Deficient Asthma, we increase warming foods and spices and reduce cold food from the diet like green leafy vegetables and tropical fruits.  A traditional herbal formula used for this condition is Rehmannia 8 (jin gui shen qi wan).  Tshis formula strengthens the Kidney Qi and Yang and allows the free flow of Qi from the lung thus reducing wheezing.

 Drew DiVittorio, Dipl,.(NCCAOM), Oriental Medicine & Nutrition

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