Adrenals

These glands sit on top of your kidneys and are responsible for the activation of the “flight or fight” response. In our society with the many demands on our time we are living with the relatively new disease of chronic stress which sees our adrenal glands working over time.

Genetically, these glands were designed to get us out of trouble (ie. facing down a dinosaur) and then turn off. Unfortunately, this “turning off’ is simply not happening. The result is that the energy driving this state of constant arousal could be better spent in healing or immune defence.

Protect your adrenals by better time management and taking time out. Have a sense of humour. Vitamins B and C really help as does drinking chamomile tea.

Eyes

Your eyes do a lot more than you think. They help orient your position within your environment as well as help you to differentiate colour and words.

You can relieve eye strain by looking away from a book or the computer screen every 20 minutes to focus on an object far away. Another handy tip is cupping your palms over your eyes.

Eyebright tea and carrots are high in Vitamin A which help to promote good eyesight. Fish oil has also been shown to be beneficial in preventing cataracts.

Gall Bladder

The gall bladder is responsible for storing the bile that is made by the liver. This is important as it breaks down fats digested in the diet.

I've said this before, I'll say it again: Cut down on fatty foods. If you eat meat, avoid frying it. Instead, you can try to bake it, steam it, grill it or stir fry it. Season meats with antioxidants and anti inflammatories such as tumeric and cinnamon instead of just using salt and pepper. Salt draws out moisture inside the body and hardens arteries leading to cardiovascular problems. A little organic sea salt is fine as it is higher in iodine.

Stimulate bile flow by drinking the juice of half a lemon in warm water. See liver for more tips.

Heart

With coronary heart disease being one of the biggest killers in the Western World, it is absolutely crucial that you take care of your heart. To not take care of your heart would be like putting sugar in the petrol tank and still expecting your car to run.

Regular exercise (both aerobic and weight bearing), cutting down on trans fats, fried or sugary foods are all basic tips we should make a part of our everyday lifestyle. To prevent atherosclerosis (the fatty plaque build up within our blood vessel walls) fish oil just can't be beaten. Make sure that the fish oil you take is of a high quality and is mercury tested.

To do your own quick test, squeeze a capsule into a metal spoon and leave it in the freezer for an hour. If the contents are still liquid you've got yourself a quality product. If you get reflux you might like to try an enterically coated capsule. The golden rule for any oil based supplement is to TAKE IT AFTER MEALS otherwise, not only will it not be absorbed, you may feel nauseous and sick.

Other good supplements include magnesium and CoQ10. Hawthorn berry tea and lots of garlic is also good. Cut down on beer and have 1 glass of good quality red wine instead.

Kidneys

The kidneys are found in the space between your ribs and your hips towards your back and are responsible for filtering your blood, maintaining blood pressure and ridding the body of wastes.

Visit the toilet as often as you need to and try to strengthen your pelvic floor muscles by testing your ability to stop mid stream.

Herbal teas such as Dandelion are great as they act as a gentle diuretic yet are potassium sparing. (You need potassium, so this is a good thing!).

For urinary tract health, drink more cranberry juice and eat more celery and papaya.

Liver

This is the largest organ in the body and is responsible for detoxifying everything you eat. It is also one of the only organs capable of regeneration. However, this does not mean that you can drown it in alcohol and still expect it to work.

You can help your liver by starting every morning with half a freshly squeezed lemon in warm water. This will stimulate bile flow as well as increase your water intake. Stimulating bile flow is essential for the breakdown and use of fats from your diet. To give you an example of just how important the liver is, let me put it to you this way: without your liver, you would die within 24 hours. So love your liver.

For a more in depth liver cleanse I strongly urge you to see a qualified professional as they would be able to assess what your particular needs are.

Lungs and Sinuses

The lungs are responsible for drawing air into blood through the use of small sponge-like sacs. If your lungs are damaged then there is less air available to blood vessels and thus, less oxygenated blood available to your tissues and organs.

The most obvious tip would be to not inhale any dangerous chemicals. Smoking should be stopped as nothing good can come of it. If you need help see your local government programs or your doctor. Practice deep breathing every day whenever you remember. Take as deep a breath as you can in, letting your diaphragm support you then slowly let it out and let your shoulders fall.

Aromatherapy is great for the respiratory passages. Essential oils such as Lavender, Tea Tree Oil and Lemon are strong anti bacterials, freshening rooms and stimulating relaxation.

Pancreas

Your pancreas is both and endocrine and exocrine organ. In English, this means that it has two main functions. It is responsible for the production of hormones and the production of secretions necessary for digestion. It is the pancreas that bears the brunt of diabetes.

To maintain good pancreatic function reduce your intake of sugary and refined foods. Eat less animal fats in favour of cold pressed virgin olive oil. Increase your intake of fibre as well by switching from white bread and pasta to spelt bread and whole grain organic pasta. Ask your practitioner about the value of minerals zinc and chromium which may aid in sugar cravings and enzymatic processes.

Reproductive Organs

Humans are incredibly complicated creatures and biologically we are geared towards the survival of the species.

For women, have a daily vitamin with high amounts of B vitamins (they need to be taken together for proper absorption) and iron. Iron is particularly important as it is bound to blood before circulating throughout the body. Given that women lose a significant amount of blood every month it is easy to see why low iron (anaemia) can lead to problems of tiredness and fatigue. Essential fatty acids are also important as they can reduce the symptoms of PMS significantly. Evening Primrose Oil, Vitamin E and Fish oils are all excellent. Tumeric and broccoli are also particularly important for women as they are anti carcinogenic and protect against breast cancer.

For men, it is important to maintain prostate health by increasing zinc intake. Saw palmetto has also been shown to be extremely useful for enlarged prostates. Maintain peak testosterone levels by cutting down on foods high in xenoestrogens (fake estrogens) such as steroid fed chickens. Again, B vitamins are needed for many of the processes within the body and are also useful for protection against stress.

Spine

Spinal health can be achieved and maintained by gentle stretching. Your spine supports all activity carried out by the body and is designed to move in six ways: bending forward and backwards, flexing to the left and right and rotating to the left and right.

Gently limber the body every day by stretching the spine in each of these positions as far as you are able. See your health practitioner if you have any specific conditions.

To relieve sore back muscles try using heat or the yoga position “Child's Pose”. This can be achieved by kneeling, sitting back on your heels and gently bending at the waist so your forehead touches the ground. Magnesium and fish oils are also great for reducing inflammation. Amino acids and proteins will protect muscles and aid in protecting the muscles of the spine.

Calcium is important for spinal health to prevent osteoporosis, however, it is not the ‘be all, end all’. Calcium needs to be absorbed and transported properly. Again for this we need Vitamin D (go out into the sun) and phosphorus and magnesium. Do not buy into the fad of thinking that just because you had your cow’s milk you’ll automatically be preventing osteoporosis. It just doesn’t work that way.

Thyroid

Most people associate the thyroid gland as being responsible for their inability to lose weight. To some extent this is true, although the thyroid does more than just this. It is the master endocrine gland, directing the sensitivity of organs to circulating hormones by thyroid hormones. These thyroid hormones are largely dependent on iodine intake from the diet.

Iodised natural sea salt and kelp are high in iodine to promote healthy thyroid function. B complex vitamins will also ensure proper energy production throughout the body.