Health

There’s More to Detox than a Fad Diet

You hear the term “detox” sprinkled all over lifestyle and health ads, but most people aren’t exactly sure what it means to detox, other than to somehow clean your body of toxins. So how does a detox work and what toxins are getting cleaned out?

“ Whether we like it or not – and most of the time we are actually unaware of it – our body is constantly exposed to environmental pollutants, food additives, heavy metal toxins, pesticides, and more. These toxins and pollutants that stay in our body will make us feel lethargic, sluggish, and sometimes can cause allergies.

Detox is a process to assist in eliminating these toxins from our body, so we can feel more energized and lighter from inside out, “ says Tania Ho, founder and director of Museflower Retreat & Spa, Chiang Rai’s first vegetarian holistic wellness retreat.

A detox program typically involves avoiding certain foods such as red meat, wheat, alcohol, dairy, sugar, and processed food and focusing instead on nourishing, energizing foods like fresh fruits, vegetables, fermented foods, and water.

This takes the workload off the organs that normally detoxify the body – the liver, kidneys, and bowel, and gives them a break. If you’ve been drinking beer every night for the past twenty years, think of what kind of stress that puts on your liver. It sounds difficult and requires discipline, which is why it’s easier to go away on a retreat to do a professionally supervised program where you can focus and get the best out of the process.

It’s also easier to stay on the detox program when going away on a retreat and you remove yourself from the temptations of your everyday food routine, your own fridge, or from your family who are eating normal food. Doing a detox helps us understand our food habits and how we can be in control of our body and food intake.

Doing a detox program has wonderful benefits for the body. After a detox, people feel lighter, more energized, can think more clearly and feel more vitality. Other noticeable results are a clearer complexion and better digestion and even more balanced moods

Detox programs can last for varying lengths of time depending on the level of detox. The average program lasts a week as the body needs time to adjust to the changes. After all, clearing your system does take more than a day to be really effective. People who have never done it before or don’t have time can start on a 3-day program.

Some people may think of detox as a way to lose weight, but there’s more to it than that. “Losing weight may be a side ‘effect’ that comes with detox, but detoxing is not about losing weight, “says Tania. “Sometimes we lose weight naturally from detoxing but it’s mostly ‘water’ weight. When we return to a normal diet, most of the time the weight will return.”

Often, one of the best consequences of doing a detox program is that it changes your habits and kick starts you to healthier food choices.

“The key to a detox program is how to maintain it afterward,” says Tania. “Be mindful of what type of food we eat and our lifestyle. For example, try to avoid fried food or MSG. Have plenty of fruits and vegetables and purchase organic and local produce as much as possible. MSG and food additives are easily present in many ready-made sauces and food products, so make sure to read the food labels before purchasing.

“Another key point is to connect and stay tuned to your body. Sometimes our body does crave meat or something sweet, so refrain from judging ourselves. It’s important to balance and enjoy and appreciate the food we eat, be grateful rather than feeling guilty and staying too strict in a certain type of diet. Food and eating are supposed to be fun. “

Spa therapies are also a natural way to detox the body and support any detox programs. You’ll see the word detox in many spa treatment descriptions. How can a spa treatment detox the body? Steam rooms and saunas help sweat the toxins out of the body.

Massage helps stimulate blood circulation and the body’s own natural detoxification processes. Lymphatic draining massage, such as Swedish massage, helps the lymphatic system work better to eliminate the toxins and wastes in the body.

“It’s important to drink plenty of water afterward to help flush the toxins out of the body because without water there is no way for the toxins to exit the body”, says Tania. The ingredients used in spa therapies can also detoxify the body. Green clay, used in a body wrap or facial, helps draw out impurities from the skin and also helps stimulate the lymphatic system, relieves fluid retention, areas where there is cellulite.

Detox can be a mental and emotional process as well. Detoxing the body of harmful pollutants and chemicals is the first step in improving your health. But detox is not just limited to the physical body. Just like chemicals, negative thoughts and emotions can have harmful and powerful effects on our health. Habits and behaviors are often formed by our beliefs, and some of these beliefs actually limit us, such as “I’m too old,” or “I don’t have the right education”,

“I’m not good enough”, or “I could never do that”. Once we are able to clear and transform these limiting beliefs into positive beliefs, it then creates a space for new thoughts and habits that enable us to maximize our potential and tap into more energy.

“One message about detox I’d like to bring out is this,” says Tania. “There are a lot of programs out there that are focused on detoxing on the physical level, which is important, but oftentimes it’s where we detox on the mental and emotional level that has lasting changes and effects – because when we are able to transform our limiting beliefs and truly love ourselves, we then will love our body and will not go back to unhealthy habits, including eating habits.

“I definitely think that holistic detox is the way to go – we need to focus on the complete circle of emotional, mental, and energetic level as well. So that’s why at Museflower Retreat & Spa I want to offer more than the typical juicing or fasting detox retreat. There are plenty of detox centers that do that. I want to offer something more unique that caters to the mind and emotional level as well. In the future, we will have ongoing holistic detox retreats.”

And finally, cautions Tania, certain conditions are not suitable for undertaking a detox. Those who need to take regular medication for certain health conditions should seek their doctor’s advice before deciding to join a detox retreat. Also, pregnant women and young children are not suitable to go on a detox program.

By Morning Glory

For more information on detox programs available in Chiang Rai, contact:

Museflower Retreat & Spa Chiang Rai, 159/1 Moo 1 Ban Samanmit, Donsila Sub-District, Wiang Chai District, Chiang Rai 57210
Office: +66-(0)52-029-823, +66(0)-93-137-0414
Email: retreat@museflower.com
Website: www.museflower.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/musefloweretreat

Health

Report Causes Pfizer Stock to Climb Approximately $1 Billion Acquired by Starboard

(VOR News) – According to a rumor that activist investor Pfizer Starboard Value has taken a holding in the struggling pharmaceutical business that is expected to be worth around one billion dollars, the stock of Pfizer (PFE) is on the increase in premarket trading on Monday.

This comes after the report was made public. The report was made available to the general public following this. Starboard Value was successful in moving forward with the acquisition of the position.

Starboard is said to have approached Ian Read, a former chief executive officer of Pfizer, and Frank D’Amelio, a former chief financial officer, in order to seek assistance with its goals of boosting the performance of the company, according to the Wall Street Journal. Read and D’Amelio are both former Pfizer executives.

The purpose of this is to facilitate the accomplishment of its objectives, which include enhancing the overall performance of the firm.

In their previous jobs, D’Amelio and Read were chief financial officers.

It is stated in the report that the hedge fund is of the opinion that Pfizer, which is currently being managed by Albert Bourla, who succeeded Read as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) in 2019, does not demonstrate the same level of mergers and acquisitions (M&A) discipline that Read did. Bourla took over for Read in 2019. Read was succeeded by Bourla in the year 2019.

Pfizer, a multinational pharmaceutical conglomerate, has made substantial investments in the acquisition of more companies that are involved in the research and development of cancer medicines.

These businesses have been acquired for billions of dollars. The biotechnology company Seagen, which was acquired by Pfizer in the previous year for a price of $43 billion, is included in this category. One of the businesses that can be classified as belonging to this category is Seagen.

In spite of the fact that the S&P 500 Index experienced a 21% increase in 2024.

No major trading occurred in Pfizer stock that year.

Due to the fact that the demand for Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccines fell after the firm reached its pandemic peak in 2021, the share price of the corporation has decreased by over fifty percent since that time.

This drop has occurred ever since the company’s shares reached their maximum peak, which was during the time that this decline occurred. Not only have they not changed at all, but they have also remained essentially stable. This is in contrast to the S&P 500, which has gained 21% since the beginning of this year.

Recently, the corporation was forced to take a hit when it decided to recall all of the sickle cell illness medications that it had distributed all over the world.

Fears that the prescription could lead patients to experience severe agony and possibly even death were the impetus for the decision to recall the product. In spite of the fact that Pfizer’s stock is increasing by almost three percent as a result of the news that followed the company’s decision, this is the circumstance that has come about.

SOURCE: IPN

Health

New Study Reveals Drinking Soda Pop Increases the Risk of Stroke

If you drink too much soda, fruit juice and coffee, beware!

A recent report from global research indicates that excessive consumption of coffee or soda pop is associated with an increased risk of stroke, although the intake of black and green tea is correlated with a reduced risk. Excessive consumption of soda pop or coffee warrants caution!

Recent research indicates that it may substantially elevate the risk of stroke.

Consuming four cups of coffee daily elevates the risk of stroke, according to studies, although ingesting 3-4 cups of black or green tea daily typically offers protection against stroke. Additionally, consume more coffee; it may reduce your risk of mortality.

Recent findings from global research studies co-led by the University of Galway and McMaster University, alongside an international consortium of stroke researchers, indicate that soda, encompassing both sugar-sweetened and artificially sweetened variants such as diet or zero sugar, is associated with a 22 percent heightened risk of stroke. The risk escalated significantly with the consumption of two or more of these beverages daily.

Stroke Risk Fizzy Drinks and Soda Pop

The correlation between fizzy drinks consumption and stroke risk was most pronounced in Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and South America. Women exhibit the most elevated risk of stroke from bleeding (intracranial hemorrhage) associated with fruit juice beverages. Consuming over 7 cups of water daily diminishes the likelihood of stroke due to a clot.

Researchers observed that numerous items advertised as fruit juice are derived from concentrates and have added sugars and preservatives, potentially negating the advantages often associated with fresh fruit and instead elevating stroke risk.

Fruit juice beverages were associated with a 37 percent heightened risk of stroke resulting from bleeding (intracranial hemorrhage). Consuming two of these beverages daily increases the risk thrice.

Consuming over four cups of coffee daily elevates the risk of stroke by 37 percent, although lower consumption levels do not correlate with stroke risk. Conversely, tea consumption was associated with an 18-20 percent reduction in stroke risk. Additionally, consuming 3-4 cups daily of black tea, such as Breakfast and Earl Grey varieties, excluding green and herbal teas, was associated with a 29 percent reduced risk of stroke.

Consuming 3-4 cups of green tea daily was associated with a 27 percent reduction in stroke risk. Notably, the addition of milk may diminish or inhibit the advantageous effects of antioxidants present in tea. The lower risk of stroke associated with tea consumption was negated for individuals who added milk.

Disclaimer: This article is intended solely for informational reasons and should not be considered a replacement for professional medical counsel. Consistently consult your physician regarding any inquiries pertaining to a medical problem.

Starbucks Faces Sales Decline Amid Price Fatigue and Rising Competition

Starbucks Faces Sales Decline Amid Price Fatigue and Rising Competition

Health

Following a Diagnosis of Breast Cancer, What Else Should You Know?

(VOR News) – Even though breast cancer affects one in eight American women, receiving a diagnosis can make a woman feel isolated.

Experts in breast cancer from the American College of Physicians (ACS) advise patients on how to manage their disease so that they may better cope with this awful information.

First, the kind and stage of breast cancer dictates the course of your care.

In addition to immunotherapy and chemotherapy, there are various surgical options available for the treatment of breast cancer.

Women of African descent are disproportionately affected by triple-negative breast cancer, an extremely aggressive form of the disease that has never proven easy to treat.

According to the American Cancer Society, pembrolizumab (Keytruda), an immunotherapy, has been shown to be helpful when combined with chemotherapy and is currently the recommended course of treatment for certain combinations of triple-negative breast cancer.

In her presentation, Dr. Katharine Yao said, “It’s really important that the patient and physician discuss the patient’s preferences and values when deciding what type of treatment to pursue and that they have an honest, individualized discussion with their care team.”

She is currently responsible for developing breast cancer treatment recommendations for more than 575 hospitals and institutions nationwide in her role as chair of the American College of Surgeons’ National Accreditation Program for Breast Institutions (NAPBC).

Yao, vice chair of research at Endeavor Health NorthShore Hospitals in New York, pointed out that each decision made about a patient’s treatment plan should take her preferences and diagnosis into consideration.

She ought to think about whether she would prefer a mastectomy—a surgical procedure that involves removing the entire breast with or without reconstruction—or a lumpectomy, which involves a surgical procedure that spares part of the breast tissue.

She stated that “the breast cancer you have may be very different from the breast cancer you hear about in your neighbor, colleague, or friend” in a press release issued by the American Cancer Society (ACS).

“Consider that while discussing breast cancer with others.”

Throughout your journey, it is critical that you look after your emotional health because having breast cancer may have a detrimental impact on your mental health.

“Getting a cancer diagnosis does not mean that everything in your life stops to be normal.” Director of the Fellowship in the Diseases of the Breast program at the Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute at the University of Arkansas and state head of the American Cancer Society Commission on Cancer for Arkansas, Dr. Daniela Ochoa She thinks adding the burden of a cancer diagnosis and treatment to all the other pressures in life may be taxing.

“Managing stress and emotional health is vital component of a treatment plan.”

Ochoa recommends clinically trained psychologists and social workers who have assisted people in coping with cancer to anyone receiving treatment. Learning coping techniques might also be facilitated by joining cancer support groups or cancer wellness initiatives.

Breast cancer specialists say your care team is crucial.

The American Cancer Society (ACS) defines comprehensive care as having support at every stage of the procedure from surgeons, oncologists, patient navigators, nurses, social workers, psychologists, and other specialists.

After receiving a breast cancer diagnosis, women should see a surgeon or medical oncologist to explore their options; nevertheless, treatment shouldn’t be discontinued after just one appointment or after surgery is over.

Additionally, you can ask trustworthy friends or family members to accompany you to appointments and aid you with research or notes. They could serve as a network of support for you.

Yao stated in his talk that “one of the most important things is that patients should search out a team they have confidence in, that they trust will have their back when they need it, and a team they feel they can get access to and that will help them when they are in need.”

SOURCE: MP