from the body. The liver considers these toxic chemicals as xenobiotics and does not have a successful way of breaking them down. If the body does not have the ability to excrete a toxin, it will store it. The longer the exposure to these chemicals, the more there is storage of toxins. This storage of toxins can lead to illness. There are many alterna- tives today to chemically-based household cleaners.
Eating Organic Buying produce that is organic or
natural and free of pesticides and growth hormones is an important step in leading a toxin-free life. It is true that organic foods are more expensive. Hopefully, one day, this will change. One option is to search for a local ‘CSA’ or community supported agriculture co-op farm that sells memberships. These farms will provide you with great natural produce through the warm months of the year and often they provide a winter share as well. CSA memberships are typically inex- pensive options. One example is ‘Holcomb Farm CSA’ in Granby. A great website to search for local CSAs in your area is: www.
ctnofa.org/CSAs.htm. Another great option is local farmer markets and farm stands. Farmer markets and farm stands can be a lot of fun for children and they provide you with the opportunity to buy straight from the farmer. When considering other types of natural foods, there are many ‘regular’ supermarkets that sell natural meats without growth hor- mones or other synthetic additives.
Augmenting the Immune System with Integrative Manual Therapy
In addition to changing your diet, there are other steps that you can take to improve your overall immune health. Integrative Manual Therapy (IMT), developed by Dr. Sharon Weiselfish-Giammatteo, is one great option. IMT targets the immune system by promoting circulation to and from immune tissue as well as improving overall lymphatic drainage in the body. It is a non-invasive therapy that can be performed on all people, children and adults, with all types of body issues. A typical IMT treatment plan begins by reducing inflammation in the body. As this is achieved, more specific dysfunction is addressed. Therapists trained in IMT can be found through
www.InstituteofIMT.com.
Taking Precautions
Making dietary and lifestyle changes to augment immunity is an essential step to improving overall health. The recommenda- tions listed previously are beneficial whether choosing to vaccinate or not. If the choice is to vaccinate, there are several precautions that help to mitigate potential side effects:
1. Whenever possible, only vaccinate
with one vaccine at a time. 2. If possible, spread vaccines apart by six months or more. This way, you can be sure that your child has not had any delayed reactions. 3. Never vaccinate on a day when your
child is presenting with any signs of sickness such as a cough, fever, or vomiting. 4. Request separate vaccines when
available rather than combined such as the MMR. 5. Take steps to change diet and lifestyle to ultimately augment immunity prior to vaccinating.
Making the choice to lead a healthy life
for you and your family is vital for preven- tion of all illnesses. There is so much that can be done in childhood and early adult- hood to promote a long and healthy life. Considering these fundamental steps will help you and your family to achieve this optimal level of health.
Ayelet Connell-Giammatteo, PhD, PT, IMT,C is the Practice Manager and Director of Pediatrics for Regional Physical Therapy and The Institute of Integrative Manual Therapy (IIMT), headquartered in Bloomfield, CT. She is also the Dean of the Connecticut School of Integrative Manual Therapy (CSIMT). Dr. Connell-Giammatteo has taught courses in IMT nationally and internationally for over 15 years. She received her doctoral degree focusing in neuropediatrics, with a concen- tration in autism. Dr. Connell-Giammatteo is a Physical Therapist and Certified Integrative Manual Therapist. She has been practicing in the field of IMT for over 15 years. Dr. Con- nell-Giammatteo is a graduate of the Institute of Functional Medicine’s program “Applying Functional Medicine into Clinical Practice” focusing on nutritional wellness. She is also a local of this community and has been living in the Greater Hartford area for many years. In addition to managing the clinical and educational arms of IMT, she also integrates a healthy lifestyle at home with her husband, children, and dogs. See ad on page 30.
14 Natural Nutmeg
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