15 Simple Ways To Reduce Toxins In Your Life

By Dr. Manisha Ghei

Every day, we're exposed to toxins, from our food, water and air! Our body therefore, has a built in, efficient detoxification system which works 24/7, through our liver, gut, skin, kidneys and lungs. 

The liver, our main filtration system, has two detoxification phases, and each is very important. The Phase 1 pathway leads to the production of toxic intermediates (free radicals), which then must be rapidly acted upon by the Phase 2 pathway so as to render these harmless. If Phase 1 is overactive and Phase 2 is sluggish for any reason, we run a risk of build-up of the toxic intermediate products from the Phase 1 pathway. These intermediary chemicals are more detrimental than the original toxin itself! 

Some simple strategies to reduce your toxic exposure: 

1. Stop eating canned food (even if it's organic)!
Cans are lined with BPA (Bisphenol A), a Persistent Organic Pollutant (POP). POPs can linger in the human body for up to 100 years! POPs preferentially induce Phase 1 enzymes (Cytochrome P450 enzymes) of your liver detoxification pathways, causing production of free radicals, which in turn deplete the antioxidant reserves of your body. 

2. Avoid plastic water bottles.
Drink water all day long, but don’t drink it out of plastic bottles! These also contain BPA. 

3. Read your make-up ingredients carefully!
Most makeup products (even the brand name ones) contain phthalates and Triclosan, which are endocrine disruptors and hormone mimickers. Your makeup should contain only natural ingredients. Remember, if you can’t eat it, don’t apply it on your skin or body! 

4. Use only natural household cleaners!
Synthetic cleaning chemicals produce a byproduct called dioxin, an endocrine disruptor, immune modulator, and carcinogen which induces Cyp1B1, an enzyme of the Phase 1 liver detoxification pathway. This leads to increased production of 4 Hydroxy Estrogen, a “bad” estrogen, associated with breast cancer development. 

5. Find a biological dentist and get any silver-mercury fillings, removed safely!
Mercury accumulation in the body can cause autoimmune and neurological problems. It binds to sulfhydryl groups in Glutathione (GSH), the master anti-oxidant of the body, rendering it ineffective in its job as a free radical quencher. Mercury depletes GSH and selenium, a crucial mineral for thyroid health and proper production of thyroid hormones. 

6. Stop eating toxic, denatured, pesticide-laden, genetically modified and processed “dead” foods!
Consume grapefruit, onions, garlic, cruciferous veggies, cilantro, parsley, all of which help the liver in its detoxification role. Eat organic whenever you can. Consume a good quality protein at each meal as both the detoxification phases need amino acids to function optimally. Avoid charbroiled meats, which selectively induce phase 1 enzyme, Cyt1A1. If you have concerns about your diet not being optimal in nutrients for any reason, at least consider consuming a good quality multi-vitamin multi-mineral supplement. I'm partial to this brand. (Full disclosure, it's my line of supplements!)
7. Stop any form of substance abuse.
This includes tobacco, alcohol, drugs, even stimulants like caffeine! 

8. Know that pharmaceutical drugs can be the biggest burden for your body to attempt to detoxify.
Always discuss with your physician in detail regarding the need your prescription medications. Review safer options, and understand their side effect profile well. 

9. Drastically reduce your stress levels.
Stress is a toxin, especially when chronic! Our body cannot differentiate between emotional and physical stress, and reacts similarly to both, by producing generous amounts of the stress hormone cortisol. When elevated for long periods of time, cortisol can lead to undesirable chronic diseases and symptoms like high blood pressure, weight gain, metabolic syndrome, diabetes, IBS, sleep issues, and it even increases your risk for heart attacks and strokes. 

10. Investigate any food allergies.
Food allergies and poor gut health are inflammatory! Excess inflammatory markers chronically circulating in the blood behave like toxins and slow down the efficacy of the liver detoxification mechanisms. A Comprehensive Stool Analysis and a food sensitivity test can help you identify your trigger foods. 

11. Lose excess fat.
Fat stores toxins! Lose excess body fat, especially the inflammatory Visceral Adipose Tissue (VAT). Our body’s intelligence believes that the solution to pollution is dilution, and since most toxins are fat soluble, it tries to dilute the blood content of these by pushing them into the fat cells! 

It's crucial to remember that fat reduction should always be done under supervision of a trained health care practitioner. If liver detoxification pathways are not supported before initiating a fat or weight loss program, one can become very sick when fat loss causes release of large amounts of stored toxins into the blood stream. You may have heard of people getting quite ill after losing weight rapidly. So, please exercise caution! 

12. Shake it up!
Movement mobilizes toxins! Exercise regularly to gently release toxins through skin via sweat. Yoga is great to enhance lymphatic drainage. Slow deep breathing releases toxins through lungs. 

13. Get those bowels moving.
Our gut has been called the “Phase 3” Detoxification pathway! Avoid constipation, so that once the liver has done its job of converting the fat soluble toxins into water soluble compounds, they are easily and rapidly eliminated in the stool. Constipation leads to recirculation of toxins in the body, increasing toxic exposure, thus increasing risk for cancers and other chronic diseases. 

14. Prevent emotional toxins from building up!
Practice journaling, meditation, forgiveness, mindfulness, and emotional release techniques on a regular basis. Don’t hesitate to seek professional help if needed. 

15. Last, but probably one of the most important is sleep!
It's the best way to rejuvenate the body’s detoxification capacity both on a mental and physical level. Assess whether you wake up refreshed every morning. If not, please get evaluated for why that is so! It could be the most important thing you did for yourself! 

Hopefully some of these simple reminders will help you. For additional individualized help and functional testing of your gastro-intestinal tract health, food sensitivities, toxin testing; adrenal health evaluation, or testing for micro-nutrient, vitamin, mineral and antioxidant deficiencies (which impact your liver’s ability to eliminate toxins), find a Functional Medicine Physician in your area.

10 Habits of Happy Couples

Psychology Today / By Mark Goulston

What does it take to be happy in a relationship? If you’re working to improve your  marriage, here are the 10 habits of happy couples. 

1. Go to bed at the same time
Remember the beginning of your relationship, when you couldn’t wait to go to bed with each other to make love? Happy couples resist the temptation to go to bed at different times. They go to bed at the same time, even if one partner wakes up later to do things while their partner sleeps. And when their skins touch it still causes each of them to tingle unless one or both are too completely exhausted to feel sexually excited. 

2. Cultivate common interests
After the passion settles down, it’s common to realize that you have few interests in common. But don’t minimize the importance of activities you can do together that you both enjoy. If common interests are not present, happy couples develop them. At the same time, be sure to cultivate interests of your own; this will make you more interesting to your mate and prevent you from appearing too dependent. 

3. Walk hand in hand or side by side
Rather than one partner lagging or dragging behind the other, happy couples walk comfortably hand in hand or side by side. They know it’s more important to be with their partner than to see the sights along the way. 

4. Make trust and  forgiveness your default mode
If and when they have a disagreement or argument, and if they can’t resolve it, happy couples default to trusting and forgiving rather than distrusting and begrudging. 

5. Focus more on what your partner does right than what he or she does wrong
If you look for things your partner does wrong, you can always find something. If you look for what he or she does right, you can always find something, too. It all depends on what you want to look for. Happy couples accentuate the positive. 

6. Hug each other as soon as you see each other after work
Our skin has a  memory of “good touch” (loved), “bad touch” (abused) and “no touch” (neglected). Couples who say hello with a hug keep their skin bathed in the “good touch,” which can inoculate your spirit against anonymity in the world. 

7. Say “I love you” and “Have a good day” every morning
This is a great way to buy some patience and tolerance as each partner sets out each day to battle traffic jams, long lines and other annoyances. 

8. Say “Good night” every night, regardless of how you feel
This tells your partner that, regardless of how upset you are with him or her, you still want to be in the relationship. It says that what you and your partner have is bigger than any single upsetting incident. 

9. Do a “weather” check during the day
Call your partner at home or at work to see how his or her day is going. This is a great way to adjust expectations so that you’re more in sync when you connect after work. For instance, if your partner is having an awful day, it might be unreasonable to expect him or her to be enthusiastic about something good that happened to you. 

10. Be proud to be seen with your partner
Happy couples are pleased to be seen together and are often in some kind of affectionate contact — hand on hand or hand on shoulder or knee or back of neck. They are not showing off but rather just saying that they belong with each other.

How Long To Nap For The Biggest Brain Benefits

Taking a nap, we’ve seen time and again, is like rebooting your brain.  Everyone likes to get a quick nap in every now and then, but napping may be as much of an art as it is a science. The Wall Street Journal offers recommendations for planning your perfect nap, including how long to nap and when.

The sleep experts in the article say a 10-to-20-minute power nap gives you the best “bang for your buck,” but depending on what you want the nap to do for you, other durations might be ideal.  For a quick boost of alertness, experts say a 10-to-20-minute power nap is adequate for getting back to work in a pinch.
For cognitive memory processing, however, a 60-minute nap may do more good, Dr. Mednick said. Including slow-wave sleep helps with remembering facts, places and faces. The downside: some grogginess upon waking.

“If you take it longer than 30 minutes, you end up in deep sleep. Have you ever taken a nap and felt worse when you woke up? That’s what’s happening — you’re sleeping too long and you’re going into a stage of sleep that’s very difficult to get out of.” – Dr. Michael Breus

Finally, the 90-minute nap will likely involve a full cycle of sleep, which aids creativity and emotional and procedural memory, such as learning how to ride a bike. Waking up after REM sleep usually means a minimal amount of sleep inertia, Dr. Mednick said.

In fact, a study published in PubMed in 2002 found that napping even for 5-10 minutes creates a heightened sense of alertness and increased cognitive ability in comparison to no nap.  So really, you want to be taking a 10-20 minute nap for a quick recharge, or a 60-90 minute nap for a deep sleep rejuvenation.
In addition to those recommendations, one surprising suggestion is to sit slightly upright during your nap, because it will help you avoid a deep sleep. And if you find yourself dreaming during your power naps, it may be a sign you’re sleep deprived.

5 Non-Toxic Ways To Whiten Your Teeth

By Kate Murphy

I love the idea of a bright and white smile, but not just for cosmetic reasons: Healthy teeth and gums are indicative of our wellbeing. Our mouths are often referred to as the window into our overall health. Many diseases can be prevented through proper oral care (namely by brushing and flossing daily). 

Until recently, I'd always believed that the only way to a sparkling smile was with toxic chemicals and laser beams. After some research and a bit of trial and error, I’ve uncovered the best, natural ways to achieve a brighter, whiter and healthier smile.

 

Using these ingredients, tips and tools, your teeth will sparkle in no time. (I got results within a few days, but if you’re a coffee or red wine drinker, it may take a week or so to see a noticeable difference.) 

 

1. Baking soda

This is a staple in any nontoxic aficionado’s cupboard. Adding baking soda into your normal oral care routine for one week can bring about a noticeable change in color. While it removes stains on everything from the counter to clothing, it's also just as great on teeth. 

It’s a simple: for one week, I put my natural toothpaste on the brush and then dip the brush in baking soda. (I keep a little dish of baking soda in the bathroom to make this easier.) Start with the front teeth to ensure that the most visible ones are targeted with the baking soda. Be sure that you give your teeth a break from baking soda after a week of using this technique. (While gentle, baking soda can break down tooth enamel over time.) 

2. Oil pulling

This ancient Ayurvedic treatment is used for a variety of health reasons, and also benefits your oral health. Oil pulling both whitens your teeth and helps you to maintain pink and healthy gums. It's an easy addition to any morning routine.  

Beyond the benefits of whiter teeth, oil pulling is also great for overall detoxing and body cleansing. I oil pull every morning by swishing 1 teaspoon of coconut oil in my mouth for 15 minutes. After spitting (never swallow the oil) I rinse out my mouth and follow with brushing my teeth. Unlike the baking soda, oil pulling can be done daily, in fact, I highly recommend it!

3. Strawberries

Despite their red color, these berries have a whitening effect on the teeth. The natural malic acid found in strawberries actually helps to remove stains naturally and easily, while the Vitamin C found in strawberries is a great plaque remover. Munching on berries is a tasty way to help your teeth sparkle.

4. Rinse after eating 

This is an important tip for those who drink dark beverages or eat brightly colored foods. Blueberry smoothies can stain your teeth just as much as coffee and red wine, so be sure that after enjoying these, you rinse your mouth out with water. If that isn’t possible, drink some water and lightly swish it around your mouth to prevent any stains which might begin to set. 

5. Electric toothbrush

One of my all time favorite “natural beauty investments” is my electric toothbrush. Because it gently removes stains and plaque in a way that no manual brush can, I find my whitening efforts stay longer. In fact using an electric toothbrush can gently remove old stains without damaging your tooth enamel – it’s like a mini daily dentist cleaning. While it may seem like an investment initially, the electric toothbrush can save you many dollars in the future as it removes plaque better than manual brushing and is gentler on the gums.

 

After a week you’ll be smiling, and not only because you want to show of your beautiful pearly whites.

7 Secrets of Spectacular Sex

 

By Marcia Sirota, MD
 Everyone wants better sex, but many of us have the wrong idea about how to make it happen. Here are the seven secrets to achieving a spectacular sex life.

One, the first thing we need to understand is that, despite what television, movies and videos say, sex is an experience, not a performance. When we’re too self-conscious about how we’re doing it, we can’t enjoy what we’re doing or who we’re doing it with.
We need to stop imagining that during sex we’re being rated for our skills. The truth is that technique is much less important than the connection we have with the other person. The better the connection, the better the sex, regardless of our technique or lack thereof.

Two, sex is a dance in which both partners must take turns leading and following. Listening is the key, as knows when to take the initiative and when to let go of control. The more willing we are to participate in the dance, the better the sex will be.

Three, comfort is everything. Feeling a bit vulnerable during sex can be exciting, but feeling too vulnerable can ruin an otherwise potentially good sexual experience. It’s crucial that each partner make a sincere effort to put the other person at ease so that both are in the mood for great sex.
The key to comfort is mutual respect. Whether it’s a one-off encounter with no strings attached or a long-term, meaningful relationship, respecting each-other and valuing each-other as human beings will make sex more comfortable, and therefore more enjoyable.

Four, like most things, sex is better with a sense of humor. When we can laugh at our awkward, clumsy moments, our missteps and ungainliness, and when we don’t judge our partner for theirs, we become more endearing to each-other and sex becomes sweeter and a lot less stressful.

Five, good sex is all about communication. We need to be clear with the other person about what we like and don’t like, what we want and don’t want. Otherwise, we’re apt to be frustrated or irritated.

Being attracted to each-other doesn’t mean that we can read each-other’s minds. Expressing our likes and dislikes is part of creating the connection that leads to a more enjoyable sexual experience.

Six, the best sex is a balance between being open to new experiences and true to ourselves. It’s great to try new things, or at least consider them, but we’re abandoning ourselves if we go along with something that feels wrong. We should never do anything in sex — including the choice to have sex — if it doesn’t feel like the right thing to do.

It’s great to be adventurous in sex. It’s one of the few ways that we can abandon ourselves in the moment and let go of our “shoulds” and our inhibitions. The right partner and lots of trust and respect makes this possible. Still, even with the best partner, we need to heed our inner wisdom and know our limits. Good sex is about respecting our partner and being true to ourselves.

And finally, Seven, great sex is all about giving and receiving. The best sex involves enjoying both the pleasure our partner is giving us and the fact that we’re giving our partner pleasure. Sex that’s one-sided is less fun for both partners. That’s not to say that on occasion one person can’t simply pleasure the other, but that ultimately, in great sex, both people’s needs are being met.
A happy, fulfilling sex life is available to everyone. If we simply pay attention to these seven secrets, we’ll discover the sexual satisfaction that we’ve never previously experienced.

Why are my feet always cold?

by Chanie Kirschner

There are a few reasons your feet could be chilly, the first being the most obvious: Are you wearing socks? Maybe your feet are cold because you’re not covering them and are walking on a cold floor.

OK then — now that we’ve ruled out the most obvious reason your feet may be chilly, let’s explore some more, less obvious explanations:

One very common reason people experience cold feet is poor circulation, meaning that not enough blood is getting to your feet (or in some cases, your hands as well) to keep them warm. This can be caused by a sedentary lifestyle (think office job) and can often be remedied by walking around for a bit each day. Poor circulation can also be the cause of blood clots and can lead to other health issues as well. Be sure to check with your doctor if you think this is the problem.

Another common cause of cold feet is an underactive thyroid. More common in women than in men, hypothyroidism can cause cold feet and hands, fatigue, hair loss and weight gain, among other symptoms. If you do have a thyroid issue and are taking medication for it, but still experiencing cold hands and feet, you could have Raynaud’s syndrome. Raynaud’s syndrome is characterized by a loss of blood flow to the hands and feet caused by spasms in the blood vessels.

Some people with cold feet can have peripheral neuropathy, in which someone may experience a cold feeling in the hands and feet without the hands or feet actually being cold to the touch. Other symptoms can include numbness, tingling or a burning sensation in the extremities. Though this can be annoying in and of itself, peripheral neuropathy is a sign of underlying nerve damage, caused by diseases such as diabetes, exposure to toxins, infections, or vitamin deficiencies. If you suspect this may be the issue, tell your doctor right away, as waiting can allow more nerve damage to occur. Your doctor may perform several tests, including NCS (nerve conduction studies) to see how well messages from the brain are being carried to the peripheral nerves.

Incidentally, did you ever wonder where the expression “getting cold feet” comes from? “Cold feet” as an expression connotes loss of courage, such as when a performer gets cold feet right before he goes on stage to a thousand waiting fans (uh-oh) or a bride gets cold feet before her wedding day (double uh-oh). Linguists trace it back to either Italian playwright Ben Jonson in 1605 or German author Fritz Reuter in an 1862 novel. The earliest use of it in the English language dates back to writer Stephen Crane in his 1896 book, “Maggie: A Girl on the Streets” in which he writes, “I knew this was the way it would be. They got cold feet.”

No matter where the phrase comes from and no matter the underlying cause, cold feet can be a nuisance, and in some cases, a sign that something more serious is going on. Be sure to check with your doctor if you think this is the case. If not, go put on a warm pair of socks and stop Googling stuff late at night.

Hidden Scary Sushi Ingredients

By Dr. Mercola

Most people regard sushi as a healthful choice when eating out, or even when looking for a quick take-out option, as ready-made sushi is now widely available in grocery stores.

Obviously, if you order certain sushi rolls that are deep-fried, you’re probably already aware that not everything on the menu at your favorite Asian restaurant is actually healthy.

But what may come as a surprise – even to the most health-conscious sushi lovers – are the potentially dangerous ingredients hidden in even seemingly excellent choices – like seaweed salad, wasabi, or sushi ginger.

Dangerous Ingredients Lurking in 8 Popular Sushi Dishes

A revealing report¹ by Andrea Donsky, founder of NaturallySavvy, has exposed the many not-so-healthy ingredients found in popular Asian foods.

1. Seaweed Salad

Seaweed is an excellent source of iodine, vitamins, and minerals, provided it comes from clean, non-polluted waters. But the seaweed salad sold at many sushi restaurants comes pre-made in bulk from distribution companies and may contain:

• High-fructose corn syrup
• Vegetable oil
• Hydrolyzed protein (which contains monosodium glutamate or MSG)
• Artificial color, such as yellow #4 and blue #1
• Genetically modified (GM) ingredients

A fairly surefire sign that your favorite sushi salad contains some of these “pre-packaged” ingredients is an unnaturally bright green color. You can also ask the restaurant directly if it makes its own seaweed salad.

2. Ginger

Ginger has phenomenal health benefits for conditions ranging from nausea and arthritis pain to heart health and asthma. Unfortunately, the pickled ginger often served alongside sushi is often doctored-up with some dangerous additives, including:

• Monosodium glutamate
• Aspartame
• Potassium sorbate (a preservative)
• Artificial colors, including red #40, which is linked to hyperactivity in children (if the ginger looks pink)

3. Wasabi

The bright green Japanese mustard known as wasabi has anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial, anti-platelet, and, potentially, anti-cancer effects. However, this is referring to authentic wasabi (the kind that comes from the wasabia japonica root or rhizome).
Authentic wasabi is extremely hard to come by, even in Japan, and it’s estimated that only 5 percent of restaurants in Japan and only very high-end restaurants in the US² serve the real deal. So what is that green paste being served with your sushi? Most likely a combination of horseradish, Chinese mustard, and green food coloring. The featured report found the following in wasabi:

• Artificial flavors
• Artificial colors
• Potential GM ingredients (corn and soy)

A better alternative is to look for “wasabi” that’s made from only horseradish, spirulina, and turmeric, which is likely to be far healthier than the wasabi imposters being sold at most sushi restaurants.

4. Sesame Seeds

That’s right… even sesame seeds may contain hidden ingredients! While most sushi restaurants use plain toasted sesame seeds in their dishes, there are some flavored sesame seeds on the market that also contain:

• Artificial colors
• Artificial sweeteners (sucralose)

5. Soy Sauce

The soy sauce served alongside your sushi also likely contains additives you’re far better off avoiding, including:

• Hydrolyzed soy protein (MSG)
• GM ingredients (soy and con)
• Corn syrup
• Potassium sorbate (preservative)
• Caramel color (certain types of which may form potentially carcinogenic byproducts)

6. Rice

The rice used on sushi rolls may also contain hidden ingredients used to make it sweeter. The featured report revealed sushi rice may contain:

• High-fructose corn syrup
• Aspartame

7. Imitation Crab

Imitation crab meat may be made from Golden Threadfin Bream, a fish facing extinction, and that’s not all. It may also contain additives including:

• Monosodium glutamate
• Artificial flavor

8. Fish Roe (Seasoned Caviar)

The orange-colored fish eggs often served with sushi dishes are also commonly full of additives like those found in other Asian foods. Among them:

• Monosodium glutamate
• High-fructose corn syrup
• Artificial color (yellow #6)

Tuna and Snapper Sushi Are Probably Not What You Think

When you factor in all of the additives found in many sushi dishes, it becomes clear that this potentially healthful food has succumbed to the processed food trap of artificial additives and fillers in lieu of real, quality ingredients. But there is more to the story than even this… When you eat tuna at your favorite sushi restaurant, there’s a good chance you’re not actually eating tuna. Instead, the majority of fish labeled “white tuna” may actually be escolar, a type of fish that can cause serious digestive effects, including oily anal leakage.

Oceana conducted DNA testing on more than 1,200 fish samples across the US and found that one-third were mislabeled.³ While red snapper had the highest mislabeling rates (87 percent of “red snapper” samples were not actually red snapper), tuna was a close second, with 59 percent mislabeled.

At sushi restaurants, however, 74 percent of fish samples were mislabeled. This included every single sushi restaurant from which samples were tested, even in major metropolitan areas like Chicago, Austin, New York and Washington DC. In many cases, the mislabeled fish had been substituted for cheaper, less desirable and/or more readily available fish varieties. More than 90 percent of the seafood consumed in the US is imported, yet only 1 percent of imports are inspected for fraud, which may explain this clearly out-of-control situation.

Sushi Tuna Is Typically High in Mercury

Most major waterways in the world are contaminated with mercury, heavy metals, and chemicals like dioxins, PCBs, and other agricultural chemicals that wind up in the environment. Fish has always been the best source for the animal-based omega-3 fats EPA and DHA, but as levels of pollution have increased, this health treasure of a food has become less and less viable as a primary source of beneficial fats.
This is particularly true for tuna, which tends to be a higher mercury fish. One study from the U.S. Geological Survey found that ALL tuna tested contained fairly high amounts of mercury. The contamination may be even worse in restaurants, again confirming that eating restaurant tuna is a risky proposition.

Further, according to a separate study, toxicological testing revealed that tuna sold in restaurants actually contained higher amounts of mercury than the store-bought variety.⁴ The reason is that restaurants tend to favor certain species of tuna, such as bluefin akami and bigeye tuna, which had significantly higher levels of mercury than bluefin toro and yellowfin tuna. Unfortunately, mercury tends to accumulate to a greater degree in muscle than in fat, rendering these highly prized, leaner species of tuna more susceptible to high contamination.

Can You Still Enjoy the Sushi You Love?

If you love sushi, and want to enjoy it without adding unnecessary health risks, try making it at home. You can purchase a whole, low-mercury fish, such as wild-caught Alaskan sockeye salmon, and use natural versions of ginger and wasabi for condiments. If this sounds daunting, there are many tutorials on how to make your own sushi simply at home available online.

Additionally, whenever I consume fish, I make sure to also take chlorella tablets. The chlorella is a potent mercury binder and, if taken with the fish, will help bind the mercury before you are able to absorb it, so it can be safely excreted in your stool.

If you want to eat out, search around for a higher end restaurant that makes its own dishes, like seaweed salad, and will be upfront about disclosing ingredients. Steer clear of tuna due to its mercury content in favor of lower mercury wild-caught salmon, and consider bringing your own natural versions of wasabi or pickled ginger (available in some health food stores) from home. You can also try some of the all-vegetable options and forgo the seafood entirely, if you’re in doubt about its variety or purity.

Be sure to avoid any sushi made from farmed fish. Remember, fish farms are the aquatic version of a concentrated animal feeding operation (CAFO), and just like land-based cattle and chicken farms, fish farms breed disease due to crowding too many fish together in a small space. They also produce toxic waste, and fish of inferior quality. These fish are further contaminated by drugs and genetically modified corn and soy meal feed, and in the case of salmon, synthetic astaxanthin, which is made from petrochemicals that are not approved for human consumption.