About the Bowel

While it’s probably not the most popular subject of conversation, it is important and I’ve had several questions this week about problems related to lower digestion and bowel function.  The primary function of our intestinal system is to absorb the nutrients that our cells require for energy and cell division and to eliminate waste and toxins that would be harmful to those same cells.  Surprisingly, the lining of the inside or our digestive system is similar to the lining or the outside of our body – the skin.  Just like our skin, problems arise in the bowel when this lining gets toxic, inflamed or damaged as a result of our lifestyle choices.

Rule number one when it comes to maintaining the bowel is water.  The primary function of our colon is the reabsorption of water and when we are not taking in enough pure, clean water we are asking for problems, most specifically constipation.  Rule number two is fiber.  Fiber acts as a scrub-brush for the intestines keeping them cleaned out, but also stimulating the muscular contractions so that bowel material moves along at a healthy pace.  Fiber also serves a lesser-known function and that is as a pre-biotic.  A pre-biotic is the food source for the pro-biotic bacteria that set up residence in our colon.  You can always take a fiber supplement, but the preferred source of fiber is from natural, raw fruits and vegetables – the crunchier the better!  Rule number three are these pro-biotics.  These “good” bugs help break down waste and also serve an immune function by helping to fight off any “bad” bugs we may have ingested.  It is recommended that you supplement these by taking a high quality probiotic like UltraFlora Spectrum from Metagenics, but the preferred source again is from organic fruits/vegetables that were grown in healthy soil without unnatural pesticides.

Chronic stress, alcohol, sugars, antibiotics and other junk foods and medications are toxic to the bowel and can cause undigested food material and “gunk” to clog up the pores of the intestinal lining.  Over time, this process can lead to chronic inflammation and yeast production that can infiltrate the entire body.  Because this is the world we live in, doing an occasional colon cleanse is also a good idea at least once per year.  Most importantly, listen to your body and when the bowel becomes irregular or abnormal in any way, take action and make changes to get it back on track or go get it checked out.

Try This

In the past I’ve mentioned the benefits of meditation to reduce the stress response.  Meditation has been proven to reduce your heart rate, breathing and blood pressure and help maximize oxygen to your cells.  Likewise, this simple habit can lower cortisol levels from the adrenal glands and improve your immune function.  When you reduce the stress response in the body, you effectively reduce your risk of every disease. 

I think there is a lot of mystique and misunderstanding involving this age-old relaxation technique, but meditation involves simply sitting in a relaxed position and clearing your mind. You do this by trying to quiet your thinking and focusing just on your breathing or on nothing at all.  It’s best to have 10 to 20 distraction-free minutes every day for the best results.  If you can do this effectively, you can receive noticeable benefits even in the first session.  It takes practice and some people find it very difficult to get their mind quiet.

I was recently taught a somewhat unusual procedure to help practice meditation and get many of the same benefits.  Try walking as slow as you possibly can for 10 minutes.  Use a cross-crawl pattern meaning as you move your right foot forward, move your left hand forward and vice-versa.  This movement has been proven to integrate the right and left sides of the brain and has been used for people recovering from brain and spinal injuries.  As you do this, try to walk slower and slower and concentrate on nothing other than your walking.  In addition to providing the benefits listed above, this exercise will also help with coordination and balance

I must admit, I was skeptical at first, but I have found this exercise beneficial and very easy to do.  Give it a try and let me know what you experience.

Fighting Flu

I believe that most people think that getting the flu in the winter is just a normal thing.  However, a study performed at the University of Wisconsin a few years back found that people undergoing just 8 weeks of meditation training were 35% less likely to develop cold or flu symptoms than those who did not practice this method of calming the mind.  Based on these findings, Bruce Barrett, M.D. Ph.D. believes that meditation reduces stress to the brain and nervous system which in turn helps to reduce stress to the immune system.  With flu season upon us, I thought I’d share a few natural methods of fighting off the flu.

This isn’t the first occasion that reducing stress to the nervous system proved beneficial to the immune system and decreased the risk of flu.  During the 1918 influenza epidemic, Davenport, Iowa medical doctors treated 4,953 influenza cases resulting in 274 flu deaths. At the same time, 150 chiropractors from Palmer School of Chiropractic treated 1,635 cases during the epidemic with only one death.  Similar reports came from New York City where 950 out of 10,000 patients medically treated died, whereas 25 patients out of 10,000 died under drugless methods.  These are just a couple of the reasons why meditation and chiropractic are integral parts to our wellness program and strategies for better health.

As a kid and teenager I suffered from colds and flu routinely.  I’m proud to say that in the last 18 years I’ve only missed 1 ½ days of work due to illness and have used no medications and never considered a flu shot.  In addition to regular chiropractic adjustments and stress reduction methods including exercise and meditation, I have a few other strategies that have changed my outcomes.  Whenever I feel a sore throat, congestion, or headache, I hit the vitamin C immediately – at least 3000 milligrams per day.  We also use a product called Lauricidin which is a coconut derivative.  Coconut is a natural anti-viral and anti-bacterial.  I still believe in old-fashioned chicken soup – it causes pyrogens to be released resulting in an increased body temperature that kills off bacteria.  I also eliminate all sugar, get ample rest and drink only water until symptoms have passed.  Hopefully these strategies will work for you as well.  Studies show that use of antibiotics ultimately weaken your own immune system resulting in more frequent infections.  To prevent illness and promote better health, you need reduced stress from better lifestyle and sometimes these natural remedies can help.

Fountain of Youth

Since the days of Ponce de Leon, we have had a history of searching for longevity.  Despite the fact that Americans live well into their 70’s, the CIA ranks the United States just 43^rd on their list of international life expectancy.  When we look at the top ten countries on the list, patterns start to reveal themselves.

Monaco tops the list with a life expectancy of 89.40 years.  Much of their success is attributed to the Mediterranean diet that is proven to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, known to kill over a million Americans each year.  Many also believe the relaxed way of life contributes to their older age and better health.  The Japanese have an amazingly low obesity rate of just 3.6% as compared to our 33.9% obesity percentage.  Their success is related to all the fresh vegetable, brown rice, and the omega 3 fatty acid benefits of the fresh fish.  This diet lowers blood pressure and the risk of stroke.  Other places such as Singapore and Andorra relate their clean environment, restricted smoking areas, and habits of outside activity to their better health.  Italians credit the olive oil and red wine for improving their cholesterol levels.  Likewise, they credit the use of spices such as basil, oregano, and garlic over the high salt diet that contributes to high blood pressure and stroke for Americans.  In addition to the healthier diets, all the nations topping the list are considered wealthier and as a rule spend more money to promote their own health.

While we have a history of seeking for longer life, what about quality of life?  Who wants to live longer if those extra years are spent coping with pain, disease and living incapacitated?  The great news is that lifestyle works!  The same healthy lifestyle habits (diet, exercise, and stress reduction) that promote longevity are the same habits that reduce the risk of every disease and improve brain and organ function and insure a higher quality of life.