The Invaders Within

It is estimated that 85% of adults living in North America carry at least one type of parasite. These parasites are most likely to live in the intestinal tract where they are nurtured by typical industrialized eating habits that are void of actual nutrition. In other words our collective diets are not only ill suited to sustain our health but also helps to provide an environment of near perfect nourishment for parasites. In the end, if you will pardon the pun, we become malnourished and sick from poor nutrient uptake and an inability to eliminate waste efficiently.

Detoxify by removing harmful impurities from the colon and liver naturally!

Eating habits and parasites

The average diet these days consist of simple, highly processed carbohydrates. These processed foods pose many threats to our health but for the sake of this article we will focus on how it affects the intestines generally and parasites specifically. Processed foods are seldom broken down completely for the body to absorb. The undigested remnants tend to "stick" to the intestinal walls. When this happens our ability to absorb nutrients and eliminate waste efficiently decreases dramatically and our health with it. Continuing in the vein of bad news the intestines under these conditions become the perfect breeding ground for parasites. These parasitic beings burrow into stagnant fecal matter and set up shop robbing the body of what little nutrition that enters into the intestines. If the parasites proliferate in large enough numbers they could actually burrow through the intestinal walls and create a condition known as "leaky gut" syndrome. As we grow older without changing our eating habits we get caught in a vicious cycle that we are vaguely aware of and the parasites proliferate as we deteriorate. That old cliche "You are what you eat" still rings true.

Effects of parasites on our health

Aside from what has already been mentioned parasites can cause a host of other detrimental health issues such as:

• They irritate the tissues and linings of the body creating inflammation
• Parasites produce toxic waste that can be absorbed by the body.
• Cell destruction by the parasites occur at a high rate. Under these conditions the body cannot reproduce the cells lost fast enough which causes an imbalance.
• The immune system is weakened due to a continuous response which "burns" it out leaving a person prone to infections.
• They cause obstructions in the bowels making efficient waste elimination near impossible.

This powerful all-natural product has four nutrients needed by the body: Fiber, probiotics, prebiotics and Vitamin D all a great price!

Signs of parasites in humans

How do you know if you may be experiencing a parasite issue? Well, there are a few signs you may want to be aware of to assist in identifying this potential problem.

• Constantly bloated abdomen
• Depression/moodiness
• Inability to lose weight
• Chronic constipation or diarrhea
• Cravings for sweets
• Anemia
• Chronic fatigue
• Persistent acne
• PMS
• Insomnia
• Bad breath
• Bad body odor 
• Constant abdominal discomfort
• Anal itching
• Water retention

What can be done

• Colon cleanse: A great place to start is a colon cleanse especially if that cleanse includes anti-parasitic herbs. The cleanse should be an internal herb and fiber based product as opposed to relying on colonics. Colonics often fail to cleanse the nooks and crevices of the intestinal wall and can extend into the colon only so far. This leaves the mid to upper portions of the colon uncleansed. Colonic hydrotherapy may have some benefit but for a full thorough effect begin from within!
• Limit or eliminate highly processed foods: As mentioned earlier these foods gum up the system slowing digestion and creates a perfect breeding ground for parasites. In addition these foods tend to be void of nutrition setting a person up for malnourishment and weight gain.
• Consume clean food and water: Sloppy food handling practices beginning at the farm and ending at whatever table you happen to be sitting at and contaminated water are most often the source of parasites even in industrialized areas of the world. Knowing the sources of your food and water and deciding to avoid foods that can be potentially contaminated can make a significant difference in your health and well being.

Parasites need not be a part of your life. With a little awareness and the willingness to eat healthier and cleanse parasites can become a thing of the past instead of that thing in your intestines.

Detoxify by removing harmful impurities from the colon and liver naturally!

Treating Constipation: Nutrition

Constipation is a very real and daily preoccupation for some. The pain and general discomfort is unfortunate and because of this many seek to chemically remedy their situation only to exacerbate the problem. How then, can a person pull themselves from this seemingly unending daily cycle? There are three specific techniques to utilize on the daily basis (note the emphasis which is mine) for long term, lasting relief. Proper nutrition, stress relief and detoxification are essential for great intestinal health. This article will focus on nutrition.

Powerful, Natural Intestinal and GI Tract Cleansing and Fortification!

Proper Nutrition

We in the western world have a fast food problem leading us down a road of epidemic health concerns. Obesity, hypertension, malnutrition (more on this later) and of course constipation are just a few of the outcomes of constantly pulling around to the drive-thru window. Before we go any further in this discussion the need to explain what fast food is arises so we can all be on the same page. We have our usual suspects of course. Those places labeling themselves as “fast food” or the new catch phrase “quick service” restaurants (in an attempt to confusion and befuddle people who are on to them) are obvious but there are other types of fast food. Please consider that just about anything you can microwave as a meal or snack from your grocers freezer or shelf  is “fast food”. We don’t traditionally think of restaurants that you sit down and order from a menu without numbers as being fast food but they most certainly can be. Fast food isn’t about how quickly you get your food. It’s about how processed the food is and it is these highly processed foods (to include junk food) that wreak havoc on our digestive health and then our health overall. 

When it comes to proper nutrition a great place to start is with fruits and vegetables. Obvious, right? Fruits and veggies should comprise at least 60% of the diet especially if you are prone to constipation. Not only are fruits and vegetables nutrient rich but they are easily digested which is extremely important where constipation issues are concerned. 20% of the diet should come from complex carbohydrates (whole grains, cereals), 15% from proteins and 5% from fats (quality fats like Omega 3 and Omega 6 found in legumes and nuts). Here is an interesting fact. Adding 20g (just under an ounce) of bran to the daily diet will increase fecal weight by 127% and reduce food transit time in the digestive tract by 40%! Food transit time is a great indicator for how well the digestive tract is functioning.

There are many people who now avoid carbs like the plague but without complex carbs, where the majority of our fiber comes from, we risk chronic constipation. Our bodies were built with some level of balance in mind not extremes. The extreme of avoiding all carbs will only cause issues. It is agreed that all simple carbs should be avoided when possible (highly refined sugars and highly refined flour products) but complex ones should be embraced. Extremes in any form will ultimately lead to suffering. 

Malnutrition was mentioned earlier because not many people know or realize just how malnourished we are as a society. We think we have plenty of food but we do not. What we have is plenty of “stuff” designed to look and taste like food and can be highly addictive (a subject for another article most likely). The truth is most of what we consider food today is void of the most basic nutrition and as such is extremely difficult to eliminate from our bodies. The “stuff “ we eat turns into a sort of gelatinous goo which coats the intestines preventing the uptake of nutrients when we do get something wholesome into our stomachs. The result is constipation. The result is malnourishment. The result is degenerative disease. The result then becomes premature death. After all, it has been noted by ancient physicians and new that death begins in the belly. 

Not So Fun Fact: It is estimated that 90% of all acid reflux issues are due to slow digestion predicated by poor elimination of waste in the colon (i.e. constipation).

Cleanse Naturally with Powerful Herbs that are Gentle and  Therapeutic!

Constipation and Your Health: The Beginning of the End Part I

It is estimated that 80% of Americans suffer from constipation at some point in their lives. Among those a great number of people suffer from the condition chronically going several days a week without a bowel movement. Upwards of $700 million annually is spent on laxatives whether they be over-the-counter or prescribed. Despite the vast amounts of money spent constipation is often overlooked as the significant detriment to our health that it is.

There are two components to constipation that makes it so damaging: malnourishment and toxin elimination. Believe it or not America is one of the most malnourished countries on the face of the earth for several reasons which we will cover shortly. Sure we have plenty to eat but often what we eat leads to constipation. Once we are constipated the intestines can no longer efficiently absorb the nutrients from the foods we eat. We end up satisfying our appetites but failing to benefit from it. Not only do the intestines have a difficult time with absorption of nutrients but the ability to eliminate toxins from the body also becomes negatively impacted. Without proper elimination toxins remain in the body wreaking havoc on our systems by disrupting vital processes or distracting and exhausting the immune system. Chronic sufferers begin a slow descent into other poor health conditions such as hypertension, heart disease, arthritis, osteoporosis, etc., etc. because the list goes on. The truth of the matter is that our health literally begins where our foods journey through the body ends: the colon and intestines.

This post series will cover the causes of constipation, treatments, and recommendations for overcoming constipation.

Cleanse Naturally with Powerful Herbs that are Gentle and  Therapeutic!

Good Intestinal Health Part IV - Fiber Supplements

I saw a curious commercial recently for Benefiber. What was curious about it was how convincing they made the case for their fiber. After all it dissolves completely in whatever you put it in. There's no after taste and it's not gritty. Nutritionally I'm not against what sounds like a perfectly good fiber supplement. My problem with this type of advertising is you are left with the impression, as I was, that their soluble fiber is all you need. This isn't blatantly stated in the commercial but it is implied. Truth be told soluble fiber is extremely important but so is insoluble fiber. Both are necessary because each has very specific jobs. Insoluble fiber: Bulks and binds fecal matter, transports proteins through the intestines, cleanses the intestines. Soluble fiber: Binds and transports material through the body with disposal of excess cholesterol being a chief function. What's more is that soluble fiber tends to ferment in the stomach which produces gas and bloating if the rest of the digestive tract is sluggish, perhaps due to not having enough insoluble fiber in the diet.

So what should a person look for when wanting to supplement their fiber intake? First, be sure it has no chemical ingredients. Chemicals tend to be harsh on the body and could potentially lead to dependence on that chemical to keep the digestive tract moving. The harshness and dependency on any chemical is something that should be avoided. Any fiber supplement taken should be natural with a variety of plant based ingredients. Also, be careful with the overuse of Senna. Senna is a natural laxative that is fine to take in moderation but could prove habit forming if taken for extended periods of time. It is best to not use senna for more than 3 weeks straight without a break. There are plenty of fiber supplements out there with Senna for occasional constipation relief but long term use is discouraged.

Being well rounded in our digestive health is the ultimate goal of this series of posts. A healthy digestive system taking in nutrients and efficiently discarding waste product is the beginning of positive health outcomes for the body, mind and soul. Peaceful, happy stomachs, colons and GI tracts to all!

Time and Tide!

It's amazing how time seems to be speeding along with reckless abandon. I definitely need to get on my J-O-B. It's time to get started in earnest and there are few areas better to start with than good intestinal health. So over the next few posts we will cover some of the important aspects of colon and intestinal health to include eating habits, fiber, water, and probiotics. Once the colon health posts are done we will move on to other often over looked areas in regards to our overall health but first things first. Please stay tuned and lets be healthy together! Peace and much love.