I would like to get some opinions on using chlorophyll (wheatgrass ok..but I need something readily available to use daily at home and I'm not growing wheatgrass nor do I have a juicer that extracts the juice from it) or other product to help my blood detox from a winter of using natural ('natural' for gas is oxy moron to me)gas to heat my home and the detrimental health issues I have from using it. I'm pretty sure it's my blood I want to cleanse and build..if not then correct me please..(Arugula in particular may have an opinion for this question.)

I think it would go respiratory, pulmonary, blood. I'm going out today or tomorrow to purchase something that would help with this issue. Yes, raw foods..raw foods, raw foods..but also something more concentrated to build red healthy blood cells for the next weeks or 2. The health issues were/are extreme..to me anyway.

Love,
Prism

Prism, I am flattered that you mentioned me. I had to look this up, but I have to say your intuition is spot on regarding the green stuff.

Natural gas is a bunch of hydrocarbons, mainly the simplest one, methane (CH4) but also with small amounts of the longer chain ones ethane (C2H6),propane (C3H8), butane (C4H10), and pentane (C5H12).

Methane is considered to be relatively non-toxic but the longer chains are more toxic. If you really have a leak, you can smell it, it is something like sewage but blander/milder. I work in a lab and have smelled both types of leaks! They are different but similar.

In animals, hydrocarbon detox is regulated by a few proteins that are structurally simlar or related to the cytochromes, flavins, glutathione, copper and zinc superoxide dismutase, and heat shock proteins.

So you want stuff in your diet that will give you the building blocks for these.

Well, geuss what looks a lot like the cytochromes. Yes, chloropyll.

Flavins are generally made from riboflavin (vitamin B2).
Greens are good sources.

Asparagus, broccoli, and spinach boost glutathione production.

Blueberries are good for heat-shock proteins. Probably all of the blue-purple foods, too.

And generally a lower protein diet will help, too. This doesn't mean you have to deliberately lower it, your diet is alreadly relatively low compared to standard diets if you are a raw vegan without protein supplements.

I don't think you need any special or superfoods aside from lots of greens (use different kinds, and you probably don't need more than 200 calories worth per day) and a wide variety of other raw f+v with maybe a handful of raw nuts/seeds/fatty fruit.

refs are:
Isabelle Boutet , Arnaud Tanguy and Dario Moraga
Response of the Pacific oyster Crassostrea gigas to hydrocarbon contamination under experimental conditions
Gene
Volume 329, 31 March 2004, Pages 147-157

Zeiger
Some factors affecting the host-mediated assay response
Environmental Health Perspective
Dec 1973



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/10/2008 07:12PM by arugula.

Wow..it's really amazing how intuitive our bodies are at protecting itself..because this winter as it progressed I ate tons of (ok..not raw but I felt I had to have some of these particulars in my diet and it was thru soup) home-made soup with tons of fresh garlic cloves, a whole large onion, lots of celery seed..like a handful, cayenne (red pepper) and sea salt. I would put in lots of celery, carrots, and sometimes the green pulp from green juice sessions..and I didn't waste one thing. I would use my tiny bullet to mix all the cooked veggies for broth and add back into soup with new veggies for crispness..el dente veggies.

Then I also started green juicing again also..felt a large need for that and thought it was due to my nutrient needs..but more likely a protection need. Also that magnesium and high vit-c in the grams..more than likely due to the state of my blood and body needing to get oxygen which it was being overridden by co or whatever was usurping the oxygen in my blood. No wonder my body blew way up with edema..once again protecting itself. I also felt the need to add in a super b vitamin table and sometimes took 2-3 a day.

I also ate tons of real butter...and I couldn't figure that out..but I did end up buy those cod liver supps for a & d and extra d..but I have a feeling the butter had the a & d needed and maybe helped protect the liver? I don't know about that.

I also am sure that taking Iodine help protect me too..but lost confidence in it due to the worsening symptoms of being oversensitive which ended up being due to the gas chemicals/additives or whatever it is in the heating thru natural gas I can't take and not the Iodine.

I also did not usually eat much nuts anymore but I did buy raw almonds, raw almond butter (several times) brazil nuts for the selenium for the Iodine but they sure are good..nice and creamy texture, and sunflower seeds. So more nuts for sure lately. I've been craving blueberries and did buy them frozen for smoothies for some of winter and I hardly ever eat blueberries. I was recently going to buy some all blueberry juice I see that was on sale..it sounds so good to me. I think I will make sure to buy those.

I couldn't do the epsom salt in my drinking water as was a suggestion for alkalizing your body and helping with detox..it must be due to the 'sulfer' in it and the 'sulfer' I was getting from the natural gas emissions..ya think? Is it sulfer or sulpher? No matter..my body just can not ingest that stuff..at all! I hated it, even at less than a pinch of it.

I must be oversensitive to something in the natural gas..as I did smell a leak in a house once, and it took the gas company 3 visits to find the leaky valve that had been broken off when the prior tenants moved out and unhooked their dryer. It smells like sulpher! Nothing here smells, and nothing apparently leaks since they did monitor it for me the other day. But it is something in the natural gas and it's in my body now and I want it out..I want to oxygenate my blood, and dump the toxic build up..already the edema is going down, the pain and carpal tunnel symptoms are going..with feeling back to almost normal..and my energy is up..when before I just wanted to lie down and die..or sleep..really just go to sleep which I started to do even in the daytime when I could.

My voice is improving, I have more balance, and I don't have that drunk feeling that I've had for some months..and it was noticeable believe me.

Ok..well anymore suggestions, I have until Sunday before I get to whole foods to purchase some items..so any other suggestions would be helpful!

Love,
Prism

Before adding a nutritional supplementation it is wise to make sure you are offering your body optimum time to use the nutrition it already has available.

One of the functions of your liver is to purify your blood. The liver is said to be most busy purifying blood while one sleeps.

Some Traditional Chinese Medicine theorize that its best to be asleep between the hours of 11 PM and 3 AM. Being asleep eight hours including 11 PM to 3 AM is worth perhaps twice as many hours of sleep at other times of the 24 hour day.

the body is the best blood purifier, the reason the blood is unpure is because the bacteria need to clean it out. Some herbs can aid in this, thier enzymes, and other properties can help to break down the debris, help circulation, and clear out things.

Dr. Christophers herbal combinations aid greatly in this. And over time with the raw food diet... will help to cleanse the body. Pineapple is also huge...

If I had a suggestion this is what I would do. Get a dehydrator. Then I would take some tomatoes, sun dried tomatoes, spinach, fresh garlic, cayenne, apple cider vinegar, sea salt and cumin and blend them together. Then cut up some onions into rings. Put the onion rings on a dehydrator sheet and pour the tomato mixture on them. Let it dehydrate. Now you have a tasty snack, that also aids the body in cleansing the body, particularily the blood.

Hey Context!
Wheatgrass! Learn to sprout your own (simply google it, or borrow or buy Dr. Ann Wigmore books!) You can chew it if you want. Incorporate in salads, etc. Use a simple mortar and pestle or just go the extra mile and invest in a good juicer for your needs.

Love, Good Health, and God bless you!
~Greensatva, Kingston, Jamaica, W.I.

you know what... I have deeply been considering doing that for awhile, and plan on doing it right away. Once I move into my new apartment.

I think its great... because it adds tons of organic minerals to the diet. Increasing the alkalinity pool... which is great. That and if fresh herbs are added to it like celantro helping to remove agents from the blood. Yes its a very good thing

Yes..cilantro..I found a pesto all raw dip of cilantro and nut butter, etc.. to make and I really loved it..so did everyone that had some. And parsley also..I was adding parsley to some of my green juices..well..almost every time lately.

I think I have some plan of action now..so am going out soon to get what I can start with. I'm into getting my body rid of the residual aftermath of the natural gas emissions.

You might check out my Raw Notes in Diary forum for more details..I'm calling one of the symptoms I had "Canary Thumb"..if anyone you know has Canary Thumb..ask them about their heating system. If it's gas..or other fossil fuel possibly..ask them to turn it off for a couple nights/days..open a window and see how they feel in one or two days.

Love,
Prism

Yes.... natural gas is anything but natural. Normally its supposed to be vented via the flu stack, but if there is a leak then there is issues.

Gas companies have more practices than just delivering gas into your pipes..they can use our pipes to expel their excess waste products..gases, mercury, etc. While I don't know much about their practices, and other things about natural gas or fossil fuels at large..I don't care I don't know. All I wanted to know I found out for now..and that's what was the cause of my acute symptoms during the winter.

I'm onto detoxing it out now..and I'm crying for happiness to be feeling this good in such a short time already.

I went to Whole Foods Market and picked up lots of fresh produce, fruits, veggies, including stuff like dandelion leaves, cilantro, parsley, beets and tops, and 2 tincutes..one called Detox and one called ChlorOxygen made from Nettles..a very pretty color of green liquid. I have taken my first doses of those, made my green juice for today and tomorrow and I ate a couple large tomatoes with celtic sea salt for lunch..very tasty.

I'm going to make more of the raw Cilantro pesto too. I bought raw nut butter, and pineapple, etc..

I wish lemons here were cheap..they are almost $1.00 each! I can't figure out why..when everything else is coming up from Ca. and it's cheaper now..why the lemons are so expensive.

Thanks for all the comments, and help..Arugula thanks for that research..it's helped me in making a couple decisions on what to buy first.

Love,
Prism

Prisim, check out the stinging nettles it is a blood purifier as well as the dandilion. Those are basically free if you can find a place to pick them.

lol... just go out into your back yard, grab some grass, dandelions, and other greens and juice them. Then drink it!


Could you imagine the health the world would have if everyone juiced their grass clippings and drank them. lol, the solution is so close.... but the mentality so far away

Well..with all the cats in the neighborhood (you can't count them all there are so many..owned and strays) just going out to pick stuff and washing them off doesn't always appeal to me. I've watched cats @#$%& in the middle of the grass and not cover it here..nasty habit for a cat I'd say. But..I did recently pick some dandelion tap roots and have them drying..they are almost ready to make into a powder so I can add 1 teaspoon into a glass of water or juice.

As for juicing my grass..no thanks..it's all being replaced with new sod this month..and all the kids, dog and (nasty cats) will be walking and playing on it. The front yard, you just never know what sprays, gas/car emissions have settled on that..I live in Portland on a suburban street..with many cars going by and parked at night close by.

Love,
PrismJustPuttingThingsIntoContext

I agree... I was thinking more about the back yard, which isnt so exposed to toxicity.

I am talking about the backyard..that's where the cats were seen and congregating when I moved in..they know that I have a small dog that will chase them if I allow him out to do it so it's getting better.

Love,
Prism

I usually go to my email first when I get on computer, but I'm so thrilled and excited to wake up feeling this good I wanted to come here and post including on my raw food diary "Raw Notes".

I can't begin to explain what's it's like to feel your thumb for the first time in months as being 'normal'..in the sense it's slender, has shape and just feels right!

While during the night, especially the early morning hours I am getting more of the detox rebound effect..it's not even close to what the acute symptoms were like when I and my little dog were being exposed to natural gas..or it's emissions/odorants, additives..whatever was slowly poisoning us. It makes sense that during the day your body is busy functioning and running your system, and at night it's doing most of the cleansing..so you are bound to feel some of that upon waking if detox is heavy enough at night when at rest/sleeping. I'm not fooled though..because as I said the detoxing is so much less than the original symptoms and I understand detox better also being on raw foods for over 5 years now.

I also had some of the chlorOxygen around 3 am and that really went to work at that time of morning..whoa..did it ever. I got a slight head-ache and weird dreams..really weird..paranoia type dreams..but they passed and I want to thoroughly detox so I didn't give in to anything like 1 or 1/2 tablet of Excedrine which at first I wanted to take.

Suffice it to say I have good elimination in the morning, and the burning pain when touched to the small of my back on left side seems not to be there. I did press and massage it a bit this morning..gently and it was gone. I don't know if it was left kidney, (I'm mostly thinking it was kidney) or some soft tissue in back/hip area or something to do with spinal fluid or something of that nature. I should do some research on that.

That brings me to my heart now, and I think I want to work on building stronger heart muscle now (poor thing probably needs rest, nutrients, and strengthening) but going gently due to the strain it's been under due to toxins from the natural gas.

Which brings me to another topic I wanted to post on separately perhaps. I'll touch on it here. When our lovely government health agencies say that Americans should get outside to exercise, especially walking..it's no wonder they want you to get outside for at least 30 minutes a day! Outside our toxic bins of what we call shelter..the ones with the fossil fuels like natural gas streaming in especially in the winters. One should not have to go outside to do their exercising especially when many of us buy or have exercise equipment for indoor use. Treadmills, etc..all for indoor our homes! I don't care what comments or excuses one has for going outdoors in response to this paragraph as I will concur..it's best to be outdoors as much as we can defendant on different factors like our health, environments, etc. but it should not be necessary or expedient to go outdoors to exercise.

I'm going to change some of my habits, and some of my homes attributes as to what heat is best (solar and electric so far as I can figure out). I also turned down the thermostat on water heater. The gas guy wanted to turn it down to B setting..he said for 'scalding' issues and I said, no I like it hot. But I thought about it and maybe by turning it down there is less gas used to heat the water and less emissions..so this morning I turned it down.

I also heard that if you buy from Ikea (their furniture, mattresses I understand comes from Sweden) they don't sell anything with fire retardants due to Sweden's strong environmental regulations. I didn't know that. That's a thought for anyone that is due to purchase furniture like couches, chairs, mattresses etc.

America is lagging behind in many things we could do to protect and help our population at large with health issues..and it's not being done. Why? Because it's all about money, big corps and unethical people empowered by their positions in our government agencies.

Both my little dog and I are on the mend and feeling fantastically alive and renewed!

Love,
Prism

Prism Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------

> I also heard that if you buy from Ikea (their
> furniture, mattresses I understand comes from
> Sweden) they don't sell anything with fire
> retardants due to Sweden's strong environmental
> regulations. I didn't know that. That's a thought
> for anyone that is due to purchase furniture like
> couches, chairs, mattresses etc.

Ikea can't sell mattresses in the USA without some form of fire retardant on it. That's the law.

Much of the regular furniture in Ikea is made of laminated woods (more out gassing issues).
The solid wood furniture sold at Ikea is from questionable legal harvest.

Instead of a traditional Western mattress I sleep on a futon that I had custom made for me without fire retardants.

Oh that sounds so much better..custom made mattress with all natural ingredients. What is your made from? I would think cotton, and or hemp being very good choices. How much though does it cost to have custom made furniture and or mattresses, etc.?

I told my son I was going to make a real native tee-pee for next winter for sleeping outdoors and I'd probably be very toasty warm and environmentally better off!

Love,
Prism

I really am loving the Nettles tincture I bought..it's not made with any alcohol but with purified water and glycerine. It's called ClorOxygen and it's really helping me I feel. The fresh green juices daily is also the biggest benefit along with eating a cleaner diet with more fresh and higher quaility of fruits and veggies. I've added in some raw nuts and medjool dates although I don't eat them daily. I also have been eating more nut butter as in almond butter.

I might try some flax seed oil and add it to my almond butter as I'm told flax seed oil if very heatlhy. I did add in flax seeds yesterday to my smoothie yesterday.

I'm doing so much better now..but I believe I'm highly, highly sensitive to any gas and or gas emissions. It's coming together I think..I could still be wrong as it's hard to get to a point of being certain but I'm pretty confident that's what the problem is.

Love,
Prism

At a raw food restaurant I used to work at, they served a drink called the "Blood Tranfusion", which was a shot or two of wheatgrass and young coconut water. I know you said that you it's hard for you to get wheatgrass, but you might want to invest a wheatgrass juicer (you can yet ones that are non-electronic and not too expensive. If you have a "Whole Foods" around you they often sell wheatgrass in bags. It is also not hard to grow. You could also buy the wheatgrass that comes in dried and powdered form from a healthfood store (although it may not be as effective). Young coconuts are often healthier and have more water than the older ones. They usually come with the outer part shaved and they are white. You can get them at "Whole Foods" or you could look into local asian markets. Coconut water is nearly identical to blood plazma. Believe it to not, during the American Civil War it was used for blood transfusions! Chlorophyll is also nearly identical to our oxygen carrying blood molecules (or heme)! Wheatgrass has abundant cholorphyll, but you could also juice a bunch of dark leavy greens. This is a good green drink: kale,parsley, celery, lime and ginger.