Wood therapy is a vigorous massage technique known as Maderoterapia, Maderotherapy, or wooden massage. It is a holistic technique using wooden implements to massage and manipulate the body.

The tools help break down fat and cellulite, improve circulation, and reduce stress. This therapy is believed to have originated in Asia centuries ago.

It became popular in South America in the early 2000s and is now gaining popularity in other parts of the world.

The method of wood therapy has seen a surge in fame, primarily in South America, where people call it Maderoterapia.

Madera is Spanish for wood. It draws inspiration from ancient healing practices and is often used in spa and wellness settings.

There is some scientific evidence to support the benefits of wood therapy. For example, one study found that wood therapy can help reduce cellulite’s appearance.

The treatment utilizes various wooden tools specifically designed to target different areas of the body, applying other pressures and techniques to achieve desired effects.

This method uses hand-held devices like vacuum-suction cups & rolling pins. As rumor has it, wood therapy is centuries old and originated in Asia.

Wood therapy lacks scientific research. Information about it comes mainly from the spas and clinics that provide it rather than from established institutions.

Types of Tools

Wood therapy employs a range of wooden instruments crafted from different wood types, such as oak, beech, or bamboo.

These tools are carefully designed to have different shapes, sizes, and textures, allowing for a versatile and effective treatment.

Standard instruments include wooden rollers, cups, spheres, spatulas, and sculpting boards.

Scrapers:

These are used to remove dead skin cells and stimulate circulation.

Cups:

These create skin suction, which helps break up cellulite and improve circulation.

Rolling pins:

These cylindrical wooden tools massage large body areas like the buttocks, back, legs, arms, and abdomen.

Depending on the client’s needs, they can apply gentle, more profound, more intense pressure.

These are used to massage large body areas, such as the legs, buttocks, and

Mallets:

These are used to massage deeper tissues, such as the muscles.

Sculpting:

These are specially shaped wooden tools used to sculpt and contour the body. They can target specific body areas, such as the thighs, buttocks, and abdomen.

Gua Sha

Flat, smooth wooden tools scrape the skin in a specific pattern to promote circulation and lymphatic drainage. They are often used on the face, neck, and shoulders.

Benefits

Wood therapy offers several potential uses for the body and overall well-being.

Improved blood circulation:

The massage techniques and pressure applied during wood therapy can help stimulate blood flow, enhancing oxygenation and nutrient delivery to the tissues.

Reduction of cellulite:

Wood therapy is believed to help break down fat and cellulite, which can improve the appearance of the skin.

Targeted Areas:

Wood therapy can be applied to various body areas, including the back, abdomen, arms, legs, buttocks, and face.

Different wooden instruments are used to target specific areas and address particular concerns.

Relaxation: Wood therapy can be a deeply relaxing experience, helping to reduce stress and promote a sense of calm.

Reduced stress:

Wood therapy is a relaxing massage that can help reduce stress and improve overall well-being.

Increased muscle tone:

Wood therapy can help increase muscle tone, improve posture, and reduce pain.

Improved skin tone and texture:

The scraping motions used in guasha can help to arouse collagen production, improving the appearance of the skin.

Reduced muscle tension:

Wood therapy can help release muscle tension, reducing pain and stiffness.

Techniques & Movements

The therapist uses a combination of styles and movements to manipulate the body using wooden instruments.

The exercises vary from gentle strokes and circular motions to more intense kneading and deep tissue work.

Depending on the desired outcome and the area being treated, the therapist may also use tapping, scraping, and vibrating motions.

Muscle relaxation:

Manipulating wooden tools on the body helps release muscle tension and knots, promoting peace and alleviating muscle aches and pains.

Lymphatic drainage:

Wood therapy can aid in promoting lymphatic drainage, assisting the body in eliminating toxins and reducing fluid retention.

Skin rejuvenation:

Wood therapy can improve skin texture and appearance by stimulating collagen production and enhancing the effectiveness of skincare products.

Body contouring and cellulite reduction:

Some wood therapy techniques, such as sculpting and rolling, aim to break down fatty deposits, improve skin tone, and contour the body’s shape.

Expectation

People have reported that wooden tools can be unbearable, especially if the massage therapist is inexperienced. If you wish to try wood therapy, use an experienced practitioner.

• During a wood therapy session, specialized wooden tools are used repetitively on specific body areas, such as the face, torso, arms, and legs. Deep, continuous, direct pressure is placed on “problem areas.” The tools are sanitized between uses.
• The first few sessions may cause discomfort as you work with your practitioner to determine the right amount of pressure. Sessions may become more comfortable over time. These therapy sessions typically last for about 60 minutes. Depending on your tolerance level, the therapist will use the wooden tools to massage the body rhythmically and vigorously. The massage can be pretty intense, but it is also very relaxing.
• Wood therapy may cause bruising for some people. For this reason, avoiding wood therapy on your face or susceptible body areas may make sense. The specialist will use a variety of wooden instruments. Some of these look like highly grooved or textured rolling pins. Others have a contoured figures or look like bells.
• A specialist will use the bells as pressure devices. To achieve the results, you may be required to have treatments done quite a few times a week over 3 to 4 months. Some specialists indicate that at least 10 to 12 sessions will be obligatory before you can see any results.

Side Effects

Always discuss new treatments with your doctor first to ensure they are safe and suitable. Wood therapy is usually safe if performed by a trained professional.

It should not be painful, but it may feel uncomfortable. Some side effects include:

• Swelling

You may notice some temporary swelling. It should go down within 24 hours.

• Bruising

It’s sometimes possible to see bruising after wood therapy.

• Pain

Usually associated with an inexperienced massage therapist using too much force on tender areas of the body;

• Redness

As more blood rushes to the surface of the skin, you may notice redness—which will be temporary.

Precautions

Wood therapy is a unique and effective massage technique providing various physical and mental health benefits.

While wood therapy can be beneficial, it is essential to consider certain precautions and contraindications.

It is important to note that wood therapy should only be performed by a licensed & trained therapist to ensure safety and effectiveness.

Individuals with certain medical conditions, such as open wounds, skin infections, varicose veins, or thrombosis, may need to avoid or modify the treatment.

It is advisable to consult with a qualified therapist or healthcare professional to determine if wood therapy is suitable for your specific needs.

Contraindications

• Contagious diseases like any flu or cold, no matter how mild it may seem
• Acute injuries or Recent operations
• Fever
• Skin diseases
• Neuritis
• Varicose veins
• Pregnancy
• Undiagnosed lumps or bumps
• Bruising
• Influence of drugs or alcohol-including prescription pain medication
• Abrasions
• Cuts
• Sunburn
• Inflammation, including arthritis
• Undiagnosed pain
• Cardio-vascular conditions (thrombosis, phlebitis, hypertension, heart conditions)
• Psoriasis or eczema
• Oedema
• Uncontrolled high blood pressure
• Cancer
• Osteoporosis
• Nervous or psychotic conditions
• Epilepsy
• Heart problems, angina, those with pacemakers
• Diabetes
• Gynecological infections
• Bells palsy, trapped or pinched nerves

Tips

Here are some suggestions for finding a qualified wood therapy therapist:

• Check with your massage therapist or local spa association.
• Ask your doctor for a referral.
• Look for a therapist who is certified in wood therapy.
• Calendar a consultation with the therapist to discuss your needs and expectations.

Overall Conclusion

Further research is needed to understand wood therapy’s benefits fully. If you are bearing in mind trying wood therapy, it is essential to find a qualified therapist.

The therapist should be trained in the use of wooden tools and should be able to customize the massage to your individual needs.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long do the results of wood therapy last?

Many report results lasting up to a few months after their last treatment.

However, maintenance treatments are necessary to keep the good results you have achieved.

Wood therapy only gives temporary results. The more consistent you are with it, the better your results will be and the longer they will last.

How long does it take to see results from wood therapy?

Minimal results will be visible after the first treatment. Usually, treatments are performed several times a week for many weeks to see the full benefits.

Results can vary from person to person because everyone responds differently to different treatments.

Because the results are temporary, periodic maintenance treatments are required to keep the skin looking good.

Who should not have wood therapy?

It is always best to check with your doctor before starting wood therapy to ensure it will not harm you.

Wood therapy is not recommended for those with rashes, cuts, open wounds, or undiagnosed lumps in the massage area.

Patients with a fever, infection, pregnancy, recent surgery, certain cardiovascular conditions, and diabetes must check with their doctor first. Patients on blood thinners may bruise more easily.

The endocannabinoid system. It’s a term that often comes up whenever someone attempts to describe cannabis’ relationship with the body on a molecular level. While it may have an intimidating name and sound difficult to understand, the endocannabinoid system isn’t that scary once you become familiar with it. That’s why in this post, we teamed up with a Toluca Lake cannabis dispensary to demystify the endocannabinoid system and help cannabis users understand it.

Toluca Lake Cannabis Dispensary Explains How It work

Below, we talked to the experts to learn the science behind cannabis to understand the endocannabinoid system, and how they interact. We also included information on the entourage effect, a phenomenon that plays a large role in the endocannabinoid system’s processes.

What is the Endocannabinoid System

Before we learn how marijuana can affect the endocannabinoid system, we need to know exactly what it is.

The endocannabinoid system, or ECS, is a subsection of your central nervous system. Three main components make up the ECS. They include:

• Endocannabinoids: your body creates several endocannabinoids that act as triggers to cause various outcomes. For example, anandamide, an endocannabinoid, appears to be responsible for the sensation of a “runner’s high.”
• Receptors: receptors act as the “triggers” that endocannabinoids pull. Two types of receptors exist in the endocannabinoid system: CB1 and CB2.
• Enzymes: last but not least, enzymes come at the end of the ECS process. After an endocannabinoid triggers a receptor, enzymes break them down into their base proteins so the body can call upon them again later.

Essentially, the ECS acts as a signal pathway that helps your body maintain homeostasis. Homeostasis consists of all the unconscious subroutines that keep your body running. For example, heartbeat, temperature, and inflammation response all exist under the umbrella of homeostasis.

Usually, the ECS keeps these things regulated fairly well by itself. It controls inflammation in response to infections and injuries, helps regulate your sleep cycle, and more, all without ever having to pay attention to it!

Until, that is, someone decides to mix things up.

How Does Cannabis Affect the Endocannabinoid System?

Consuming cannabis can cause some interesting changes in your ECS. In simplest terms, cannabis exerts force on the ECS by impersonating endocannabinoids. Once a cannabinoid like THC or CBD reaches your bloodstream, it binds with receptors in your ECS. This “hacks” the ECS into triggering an effect, like reducing inflammation or soothing anxiety.

The Entourage Effect

One last important facet of the ECS is a phenomenon called the entourage effect. According to research, the entourage effect arises when multiple cannabinoids try to exert forces on the ECS at once. The theory postulates that multiple cannabinoids can enhance one another’s abilities, resulting in more powerful effects or new ones entirely. The entourage effect is a fairly recent discovery in comparison to cannabinoids and the ECS itself.

Harness Your Endocannabinoid System It

Think you understand the intricacies surrounding the ECS and want to take control of it for yourself? This Toluca Lake cannabis dispensary has everything you need to harness the power of your endocannabinoid system.

When you decide to go to medical school, whether to become a nurse, doctor or healthcare administrator, you also picture becoming a leader. Leadership status is something that every healthcare professional thrives for in their career. Besides, the healthcare sector is a renowned field that provides scores of options for those seeking leadership positions.

However, becoming a healthcare leader is no cakewalk. Your duties will range from overlooking operations to adhering to reformsand developing health and safety policies. In the end, healthcare leaders have to face a wide variety of challenges when working in such an influential position. Naturally, these challenges might bring you down. Fortunately, with the help of a few leadership skills and traits, you will perform your job with the utmost efficiency and productivity.

Therefore, whether you just got into the healthcare field or are striving for a healthcare leadership role, you’ve come to the right place. Today, we will share the ultimate guide for healthcare professionals seeking to advance to leadership positions. So, keep reading till the end to become the best healthcare leader.

Acquire further education

Survival in today’s healthcare industry is no less than a cutthroat competition that pushes you back if you don’t master the emerging skills. Being a healthcare leader requiresa unique skill set, characteristics, capabilities, and personality traits. By brushing up on essential skills and earning the latest qualifications,you will become more efficient and improve your professional standing. That said, there is no better way to enhance your healthcare knowledge and hone leadership skills than by acquiring further education. Fortunately, eLearning has made the acquisition of knowledge convenient for working professionals, whether nurses or doctors.

So, if you’re a nurse, you can enroll in a post master’s certificate online to expand your healthcare knowledge and hone essential leadership skills. Such academic credentials will propel your nursing career to new heights within no time, landing you in leadership positions.

Communicate effectively with your staff

When trying to become a better leader in the healthcare industry, the first thing to do is to ensure you’re effectively communicating with your employees. You should know how to connect with your team throughout any project. In addition, regular communication will allow you to disseminate goals to your healthcare team while opening doors for two-way interaction.

Moreover, don’t forget to empower your healthcare team and ask them to provide their opinions and suggestions to promote a collaborativeculture within your team.

Similarly, allow them to reach out to you directly and without any hesitation. It will bridge the gap between you and your subordinates, compelling them to look up to you as a leader.

Ask questions from people around you

Your team might follow the instructions you’ve disseminated to them. However, you’ll never know what your healthcare team prefers if you don’t ask them. So, it would be best to ask them how they feel about having you as a leader.Likewise, check whether they have any feedback to provide that will allow you to work on your leadership skills and style.

In addition, by questioning your team, you will undoubtedly discover new strategies to enhance your medical facility’s everyday operations and practices.

Always stay positive no matter what

It is a no-brainer that working in a healthcare leadership role will leave any its professional tired, annoyed and exhausted, no matter their experience. However, instead of feeling this way, you have to serve as a model for your team. Undeniably, the healthcare sector is an unpredictable work setting, where emergencies can arise in the blink of an eye. You have to demonstrate to your healthcare team that high-quality patient care is above anything else but not at the cost of their wellness. They have to prioritize it while also maintaining their well-being.

In the end, as a healthcare leader, you should always remain positive and guide your team every step of the way during their shifts.

Learn to adapt and make quick decisions

Successful healthcare leaders evaluate complex issues by analyzing facts that surround them, whatever the matter may be. Moreover, they must methodically compare how each issue affects their medical facility’s operations and patient care. Plus, as leaders, these professionals should gather disparate facts to identify new methods to improve patient care.

They must also look at every issue from various perspectives to determine ways to mitigate operational and organizational issues. In addition, they must remain on their feet and make quick decisions to pressing medical problems. Unquestionably, there will come a time when you’ll have to deal with a life and death situation where an immediate decision might save a life. So, build your decision-making and adaptabilit skills to become an effective healthcare leader.

Learn to manage technology effectively

Successful healthcare leaders must know about current and future technologies and how these technologies play a part in improving operational and administrative tasks and decisions. They should pursue opportunities to incorporate technological improvements into their day-to-day operations. In the end, they must advocate for technological innovation and continuous advancement. Doing so will allow them to improve patient outcomes tenfold.

Its leaders should also look into procuring technological resources to improve their its team’s productivity. Such a thing includes purchasing tools, equipment, gadgets, and other handheld devices. It will allow the its team to work more productively and communicate more effectively and efficiently with other healthcare professionals.

Develop emotional intelligence

Resilient emotional intelligence allows medical facilities to deliver improved service while achieving enhanced patient outcomes. Frontline workers and healthcare leaders alike harness the power of emotional intelligence to ensure high-quality patient care. Hence, you should emphasize developing and sharpening your emotional intelligence to become a successful healthcare leader.

In today’s age, emotional intelligence is rapidly becoming a crucial skill in almost every industry and field. The healthcare sector is no exception as it also persuades leaders to develop their emotional quotient.

Conclusion

In the healthcare industry, some healthcare professionals work more effectively in particular areas and fields than others. And finding a its area or domain that suits you best isn’t always an easy thing to do. That said, not everyone can be a leader. However, you can become one if you follow the tips mentioned above. Doing so will allow you to take your career to new heights. Therefore, acquire higher education, lead others by example, remain abreast of new technologies, and you’ll secure a leadership position quickly.

If you deal with a lot of anxiety and worry, then you should know a couple of coping techniques to help you deal. We will now look at a few of these methods.

Breathing

This is a very quick and easy technique that you can use whenever you’re feeling anxious.

Many people who are anxious start to breathe a lot faster which makes their condition worse.

However, when you start to be more conscious about your breathing and slow it down, this can help reduce your anxiety.

In this technique, you will have to:

• Breathe in via your nose slowly
• Once you have breathed in, hold your breath for many seconds
• Slowly breathe out
• Repeat this as many times as you need to until your heart rate becomes normal and your anxiety eases up.

According to Southern Methodist University researchers, people who did capnometry-assisted respiratory training experienced much less severe symptoms of their panic disorders.

This type of training is basically a breathing therapy that focuses on mindful and slow breathing. In the study, all of the persons did these breathing exercises two times every day. Keep in mind that panic disorders are a bit different from anxiety disorders. However, they do have many similar symptoms.

Be sure to read more about breathing techniques here.

Meditation

It will take you time in order to learn and master meditation. However, it is quite helpful to reduce anxiety. Learn more about methods to help with anxiety at the Clarity Clinic.

A study done in 2018, they found that only one meditation session helped to lower anxiety levels and reduce the stress felt on the arteries.

Additional relaxation techniques

There are many activities you can do to reduce and manage anxiety, such as tai chi and yoga. These help to lower stress and anxiety and make you feel more relaxed.

Whenever you find yourself feeling anxious about a future task or situation, using guided imagery can assist. Basically, you will need to think about and imagine all the things you need to do to finish the task.

A good example is if you think about an interview or meeting before the event, this can greatly help to lower your anxiety levels.

When it comes to a procedure involving a series of botulinum toxin injections, it is commonly referred to as “botox”. Botox, meanwhile, is just one of several botulinum A-based drugs used alongside others like Azzalure, Bocouture, or Dysport. The popularity of anti-aging procedures using these products is constantly growing, and more and more patients decide to use them instead of the classic facelift. Botox injections are especially suitable for those who do not want to wait long for the effect of the procedure or go through a long rehabilitation.

When to use botulinum toxin According to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS), as early as 2012, procedures using botulinum toxin type A ranked first in the ranking of the most popular anti-aging procedures. This trend continues to this day so everybody can order fillers online. Even then, more than 6 million services of this type were provided in the United States, which is 8% more than a year earlier.

Botulinum Toxin

Botulinum toxin (BTX-A) is a purified protein produced anaerobically by the bacteria Clostridium Botulinum. This is one of the most powerful biological toxins – the symptoms of botulinism, that is, poisoning with food containing this neurotoxin, were described as early as the 18th century. Poisoning manifests itself as partial or generalized muscle paralysis.

Today there are 7 serotypes of botulinum, labeled A through G. They are antigenically distinct, and botulism stay caused only by types A, B, and E. Botulinum toxin has remained used in medicine for above 25 years – it originally showed itself in neurology (in the practice of nervous tics, etc.). torticollis) plus in ophthalmology ( strabismus).

In 1989, it stay practiced in aesthetic medicine in the United States. In 2002, Botox, a botulinum-based drug, remain approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of facial wrinkles and 2 years later for the treatment of excessive sweating.

Botulinum toxin works by temporarily blocking neuromuscular conduction. Muscles remain paralyzed, wrinkles remain smoothed out, and the patient’s facial features stay softened. Botulinum toxin preparations are used in people under the age of 65. In older people, wrinkles are static, so they remain treated with hyaluronic acid.

Botulinum toxin corrects dynamic wrinkles – most often these are wrinkles around the eyes, on the temples, and at the base of the nose.

Toxin-based formulations stay additionally applied to raise the edges of the mouth, remove wrinkles on the neck and wrinkles over the above lip.

What is the difference between botox, azalur or bokuture?

These funds have some features:

• The oldest drug, Botox, is the best-known botulinum toxin. For many, this name has become synonymous with all neurotoxin services, even though different products stay applied today. The stay influence of Botox is noticeable after a few days and becomes most noticeable after 15-20 days. The effect remains for about 3-4 months.
• It st considered by many doctors to be stronger than Botox. Azzalure works well for people who have a short-term Botox effect. In the case of strong facial expressions, Azzalure smoothes wrinkles better than its older competitor. The effect of Azzalure is visible for about 4-6 months.
• It differs from other products in that it does not need to remain refrigerated before dissolving – it does not require storage at 2-8 degrees Celsius. According to clinical trials, Bocouture has the lowest protein content of any botulinum formulation currently available on the market. This means it can remain used by people struggling with allergies, especially protein allergy sufferers. Plus bocouture price differs from others.

Lectins are sugar-binding proteins that are found in plants, animals and microorganisms. They can be distinguished as glycoproteins or heteroglycans depending on their combined structure.

In actual, lectins act as an important defense mechanism for plant seeds, protecting them from consumption and germination by predators.

What Do Lectins Do?

Lectins have a wide variety of functions, including:

• Protection from predators – Most plant seeds are coated in an outer layer of lectins, protecting them from consumption by animals and germination in the digestive tract.
• Immune system modulators – Some types of lectins can alter our immune responses to certain foods and substances, leading to either heightened or reduced symptoms upon consumption. They can also have a protective effect on the immune system, helping to keep it working at top capacity.
• Adhesion molecules – Some lectins bind with cell membranes and act as adhesion molecules, allowing the cells to stick together in certain locations throughout the body.
• Glycoproteins– Some lectin proteins contain sugar chains and can be distinguished as glycoproteins. They are sometimes added to foods, such as in candy bars, in order to improve texture or taste.

Types of Lectins

There are different varieties of lectins that include:

• Hemagglutinins – These lectins play a role in blood clotting and are found in animal tissues. Examples of hemagglutinins include, lectin found in red kidney beans.
• Phytohemagglutinins– Most commonly found in uncooked or undercooked plant seeds, phytohemagglutinin is known to cause vomiting and nausea in humans upon consumption. Examples of foods containing phytohemagglutinins include, soy, kidney beans, peanuts and red kidney beans.
• Lectins from plants – Most lectin-containing plants are not edible for humans due to their harmful effects on the digestive system. These include poison ivy, poison sumac, red kidney beans and castor beans.
• Lectins from animals – Some animal-derived lectin varieties are also insoluble in water and can alter immune function and the digestive system. These include fish, shellfish, insects and crustaceans such as crab.

6 Foods That are High in Lectins and You Should Avoid

Some of the most common foods high in lectins include wheat, soy and legumes. They are generally found in undercooked or raw forms of these foods.

• Wheat Lectin–Wheat known to be one of the highest food sources for lectins. The largest concentration of harmful wheat lectin can be found in the germ of the wheat seed. The best way to reduce contamination from harmful wheat lectin is to remove the germ before consuming any bread products made with flour.
• Soybeans –Soybeans are also a significant source of fairly harmful lectins in our diets. In order to minimize the effects of soybean lectins, it is best to ferment the soybeans prior to consumption.
• Dairy Products –One of the most surprising sources for lectins in our diet is dairy, especially raw milk and cheese. Raw milk is a great source for harmful lectin known as butyric acid or BCM-7.
• Legumes –Legumes are also a significant food source for lectins, especially white beans and red kidney beans. Mature dry soybeans are also a decent source of harmful lectins to be aware of in our diets.
• Raw Potatoes –Potatoes contain lectins that could potentially be harmful to your health. Raw potatoes in particular with their skin seem to have higher levels of these substances, which haven’t been studied enough yet for us to know whether they’re a danger or not when consumed.
• Nuts and Seeds –Excluding grains, there is not much evidence to suggest that humans are sensitive to the types of lectins in tree nuts and most flowering seeds.

Why You Should Avoid The Foods with High Lectins?

Foods high in lectins are a problem for the majority of people and it is one of the many reasons why people need to incorporate an anti-inflammatory diet into their lifestyle.

As mentioned above, lectins found in legumes, grains, dairy and vegetables.

Not all lectins cause us problems when we eat them. However, some lectins are very problematic and cause us a lot of digestive distress.

Lectins are proteins that plants use to defend themselves against predators.

Our bodies don’t recognize these proteins as food and therefore they do not digeste as most other foods do.

Instead, they bind to the lining in our intestines which causes irritation to our gut and also causes many other health problems.

Dr. Ben Kim and his team of researchers have made significant progress in discovering the major nutrient triggers associated with inflammatory bowel diseases such as ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease.

The research has revealed that a diet rich in whole plant-based foods such as fruits, vegetables, legumes and whole grains may reduce the risk of developing inflammatory bowel diseases.

However, there are certain lectin rich foods that shown to trigger inflammation in the gut and other parts of the body. These include: soy beans, kidney beans, black beans, peanuts and matasan peas.

• Damages Protective Gut Lining

The primary reason why we should make an effort to avoid these foods in our diet because they shown to damage the protective gut lining, which results in poor absorption of certain nutrients and contribute to the development of various health problems.

• Lectins and Gut-Brain Connection

One of the keys to understanding why some lectins are harmful to our health is through the gut-brain connection.

The gut sends messages to the brain about what we eat throughout our day via hormones and other chemical reactions, and this process affected by damaging lectins that cause inflammation in the body.

• Lectins and Immune System

The immune system has a tough time dealing with lectins due to their characteristics, which include: being sticky and hard to digest.

In many cases, the body may respond to lectins by sending out white blood cells and antibodies in an attempt to fight them off.

However, if too many of these proteins consumed on a regular basis, this can lead to significant damage and plenty of health problems as a result.

How Do Lectins Affect Our Health?

Our bodies are not able to easily digest lectins because they designed by nature to be difficult for us to eliminate from our systems.

This makes easy for many lectin proteins to stuck in the gut, where they cause significant amounts of damage over time.

The immune system becomes a key player here as well because lectins can also contribute to inflammation in the gut and other parts of the body.

When small amounts of lectins consumed, our immune system may not respond too aggressively or be able to eliminate them from the body.

It is only when a large amount of lectins enter the digestive tract that inflammatory effects can occur.

Dr. Ben Kim’s research has found that many of the foods on the above list are also rich in lectins.

For example, soy beans contain a harmful type of lectin known as trypsin-like inhibitors, which shown to cause cancer and growth problems in animals.

Black beans contain phytohaemagglutinin, which shows to damage human cells in a test tube and lead to bleeding from the gut.

Is There Anything We Can Do To Protect Ourselves?

Fortunately, there are plenty of ways we can stop these harmful lectins from entering the body.

One of the most effective methods involves simply knowing how to prepare foods properly.

For example, it is important to make sure that you remove the seeds and skin from certain plant-based foods such as kidney beans, peanuts and black beans.

Also, most lectins become heat sensitive when they reach boiling temperatures, which means you should take extra care to wash your food properly.

Another effective method involves paying attention to your caloric intake.

Consuming too many calories may lead to digestive problems and more inflammation in the gut.

Avoid eating large portions of lectin-rich foods, such as peanut butter, at any given meal if you want to avoid triggering an immune response in your body.

You should also consider taking supplements during times when you consume high amounts of lectins. Some good options include the following:

• Activated charcoal – One study found that activated charcoal protected against damage caused by lectin protein consumption (10). This substance sometimes used in emergency rooms to help treat drug overdoses and poisoning cases (11).
• Vitamin C – Human studies have shown that vitamin C can help counteract the negative effects of lectins on gut health (12).
• Coconut oil – One animal study found that coconut oil could help protect against damage caused by lectins in the gut lining (13, 14).

Last but not least, make sure you get plenty of exercise every day.

This will help to improve gut health and keep your immune system working at full capacity.

The best form of exercise is to take long, slow walks every day. These will improve the circulation of oxygen-rich blood throughout the body.

Tips to Avoid Foods High in Lectins

Apply these tips in your life to avoid the foods that are high in lectins, so you may lead a healthy lifestyle:

• If you have digestive issues such as gas, bloating, diarrhea or constipation, try avoiding all legumes any kinds of grains dairy products and nuts for a week.
• After a week of avoiding these foods, reintroduce one food at a time and then see how you feel. Do not eat any other foods during this test period because it is important to know what the reaction will be due to lectins alone.
• Once you have identified the particular food that causes digestive distress for you, avoid that food totally.
• Eat only the following foods that known to be low in lectins: beef, poultry, fish and eggs. You can eat as many vegetables as you want, but stick to non-starchy veggies such as: asparagus, broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbage and cauliflower.
• Try to eat organic foods whenever possible since it is important to eliminate pesticides from your diet.
• Eat lots of healthy fats such as avocado oil, macadamia oil and olive oil which are all beneficial to good health. Eliminating it from your diet is an important step in healing your gut. Choose a healthy alternative to beans such as Mung Bean Hummus or cook with canned coconut milk instead of cream or whole milk. Use ¼ cup coconut oil when you cook instead of butter. Eat avocados, olives and nuts sparingly because they are still high in lectins.
• All foods can cause some level of digestive distress for most people. However, it is important to know the effects that lectins have on our bodies and reduce them from our diet whenever possible.

Conclusion

Avoiding the foods that are high in lectins will enable you to enjoy a healthy lifestyle.

We really hope the above guide will have helped you out in understanding about it, why and how to avoid these food sources which are high in lectins.

What are your thoughts on this topic, share with us in comments section?