Your Colon and Your Health, Part 2

Why Cleanse? The way most of us eat these days, toxins do accumulate in our bodies that start in the digestive tract and colon. They build up over the years, stretching the colon out of shape and position in the body. Even if you think you're in good health, if you're an adult, your digestive tract and colon undoubtedly have been abused and will profit from cleansing.

If you have a health problem, your digestive tract unquestionably is in poor condition. A cleansing program is essential to healing and restoring your body ecology. If you eat properly but don't cleanse the colon, you will slow down the healing process significantly. The two must go hand in hand.

We recognize the importance of cleaning our houses or taking our cars in for regular maintenance to prolong their effectiveness--so why not take care of our bodies as well? The results will be even more rewarding: a long, vital life and excellent health.

The colon is the most important place to start our "body house-cleaning"--if we may use the term. By cleansing the colon, the other organs then automatically begin to eliminate their waste into the colon as our body was designed to do. In this manner, the waste and toxins the body has stored--sometimes for years--can exit naturally.

Cleansing is an essential life goal. It is the secret to a long life and staying disease-free. Faithful attention to cleansing will prevent disease that we often assume come naturally with old age. These diseases present the accumulation of a lifetime of toxins and impurities that the body has never cleansed out.

Remember, babies are born with clean digestive tracts. They build a strong immune system with friendly bacteria promoted by mother's milk. When they eat properly (food combining, lots of vegetables), they do not store toxins in their digestive tracts and quickly eliminate waste matter. If we could maintain our digestive tracts and colon as that of a healthy year-old child, our life expectancy would be higher than it is now, and we would be disease-free in our old age.

Colonics. Colonic irrigation (also called colon hydrotherapy) offers a pleasant and convenient way to cleanse. It bathes the entire length of the colon (over five feet), whereas an enema bathes only the lower part. When administered properly, colonics are safe, painless, and clean.

The goal of colonics is to cleanse and open the colon so it works properly and naturally. It is essential to use purified water (water without chlorine or other matter) since chlorine kills friendly bacteria. Even with the use of pure water, colonics do wash out friendly bacteria with the toxins. But toxic colon doesn't have that much friendly bacteria anyway, so the elimination of the yeast is more important than preserving friendly bacteria. After the health of the colon is restored, the friendly bacteria can be replaced by taking probiotics orally, by colonic implants and by eating raw cultured vegetables.

Benefits of a Healthy Colon. Reestablishing the vitality of your colon should be a key part of one's quest to stay healthy. It is just as important as eating the right foods. Once this is done, here are the results you can expect: enhanced ability to sleep well; less craving for sweet foods; slowed aging process; gray hair and wrinkles are slower to appear.

Relief from the following are also some benefits of a healthy colon: poor eyesight; asthma; colds; allergies; constipation; diabetes; backache; respiratory disorders; thyroid deficiency; hemorrhoids; intestinal parasites; skin disease; weight problems, and other ailments.

(Our thanks to Dr. Omar Arabia II who owns and operates the Paracelsus Integrative Medical Clinic: Center for Preventive and Environmental Medicine, located in Quezon City, Philippines)

Your Colon and Your Health, Part 1

Dr. Omar Arabia II, a Filipino doctor who specializes in Alternative Medicine and Integrative Oncology, shares his thoughts on the importance of keeping our colon clean:

"For many people, talking about the colon (large intestine) may be embarrassing, and your first inclination might be to avoid the topic altogether. But colon care and cleansing are critical to healing and keeping the body healthy.

"When we say that it's essential to have a clean colon, we mean one free of toxins, waste materials and unhealthy microorganisms that accumulate on the walls, preventing the food you eat from being properly absorbed by your body. Most people have seven to 10 pounds of old fecal matter in their colons, even if they have a bowel movement everyday. When this accumulation is removed by various colon cleansing procedures, the body is free to absorb the essential vitamins and minerals of the food one eats, and healing begins.

"Disease originates in the colon. When waste cannot be properly eliminated, it accumulates in the colon and backs up into the rest of the digestive tract, then the liver and kidneys. This causes unpleasant symptoms elsewhere in the body such as constipation, headaches, weight gain, skin problems, muscle and joint pain and other more serious illnesses.

"The digestive system (which includes the colon) is similar to the root system of a tree. A tree takes its nourishment and water through its root system, feeding it along the branches and out to the leaves. We take ours through the digestive tract where the nutrients from food are carried into the blood stream, then passed along to the various organs and absorbed into the cells of our body. In either system, if there is a blockage, or if poor-quality nutrients are taken in and distributed, the entire tree--or body--is thrown out of balance, and its very life is in danger."

What the Colon Does. The colon is not merely a long tube used for waste elimination. It absorbs water, electrolytes, and the final products of digestion. But if the walls are blocked, those nutrients never reach their destination, and toxins are absorbed into the body. Gray hair comes from improper mineral absorption. If adults had colon as pure and clean as an infant's, their hair would have rich, beautiful color!

The accumulation of waste on the walls of the colon provides the perfect breeding ground for parasites, yeast, and viruses. Many of us harbor viruses that only emerge when our immunity is low, and then we get the flu or cold symptoms. The accumulation of toxins physically impairs elimination of feces and also can prevent friendly bacteria from colonizing and doing their work. It can become just like an oil spill: the environment is so polluted that even healthy animals and birds cannot survive.

Are You Ready For A Stress Test?

That's where your heart rate is monitored by a physician while you walk on a treadmill.

The Executive's Personal Health Advisor cautions that if three or more of the following 10 characteristics hit close to home, you're probably pushing yourself beyond your acceptable stress threshold:

1. Overplanning. You budget your time so tightly that you can barely finish one task before rushing off to the next. Your schedule is unrealistic since it is impossible to produce quality work in the time allotted. As a result, you become frustrated because you can't meet the high standards you've set for yourself.

2. Multiple Thinking. You've many thoughts racing through your mind because you had bitten off more than what you can chew. While you work on one task, your thoughts dwell on the next decision. You therefore lose your concentration and inhibit sound thought and logic.

3. Insistence on Winning. You need to be in first place since being second is synonymous with failure. So you don't allow yourself to do something simply for the experience or fun of it.

4. Excessive Need for Recognition. You don't take pride in a job well-done or feel a sense of accomplishment unless your efforts are praised. Recognition is what motivates you, and without it, you often end up blatantly bragging.

5. "Guilt Trips" Instead of Relaxation. You have difficulty relaxing and distinguishing the line where your business life ends and leisure begins. Social contacts tend to be clients rather than friends, and business dominates your thoughts at social events. Even when you do "get away from it all," you feel guilty.

6. Uncontrollable Impatience. You can't watch someone do something without advising the individual or actually doing the work yourself. If you can't take charge, you become frustrated and exasperated. Also, you get upset with yourself when things don't go exactly as planned, or when someone else performs a task better than you. You rush yourself and with this accelerated pace, you never enjoy your accomplishments because you're too busy moving toward the next goal.

7. A Need for Deadline. If you don't have a deadline, you'll create one, thinking it will increase your efficiency. Actually, all it does is increase pressure. You try to do too many things at once and try to stagger deadlines to get everything done. In fact, you never have enough time to devote full attention to any one thing.

8. Preoccupation with Time. The clock rules you. While working on one project, you are figuring when it will be done so you can start on the next. You become stressed as you check the time and realize that you're falling behind schedule.

9. Intense Competitiveness. You're constantly in competition with everyone on your business and personal life. If you stop for a moment, you fear you'll be surpassed. You like to recite your latest achievements and will only challenge others when you know you can win.

10. Obsession with Work. Everything but work is excluded from your life. You're the first to arrive and last to leave the office--and even then, you take work home.

If these symptoms sound all too familiar, you are stressed. Better, get off the daily grind so you'll have a more comfortable existence. Or, indulge in a relaxing hobby, like listening to soft music, reading your favorite book, and walking in the open air--enjoying nature.

State of Health Barometer

Do you want to know how fit you are? Take your pulse rate.

The pulse is a good barometer of the state of your health. Great athletes usually have pulses down into the 40's and 30's. As a rule the faster your pulse, the less healthy you are.

The heart has more chances of getting rest in-between when you have a lower pulse rate. Your overall fitness is measured by how fast your pulse rate goes down to its normal rate after your regular brisk walking.

To achieve real fitness, treat yourself to brisk walking, cycling, swimming, and other sustained exercises. When walking, the pace must be brisk and continued for a minimum of an hour daily, although some authorities would put a minimum of half an hour as acceptable.

A daily jogging regimen (at least a kilometer or two daily) will eventually lower the pulse rate at rest by ten points or more. This lowered pulse rate can save 10,000 extra heartbeats a day (as if the heart had rested two to three hours daily). The good news is that brisk walking can also lower your blood pressure.

Here's a suggestion. You can combine yoga exercise and lifting weights (bodybuilding for you) with your other exercise regimen. For those over forty, it is a good idea to see your doctor before starting an exercise routine.

Another Test You Can Make. Most of us are smug enough to insist that we are clean inside. Let's see if you can pass this test:

Do not take food for 24 to 36 hours. Drink ONLY pure water. If your tongue fails to become furry white (having a fur-like coating), it's a good indication that you're clean inside. But your tongue will probably become coated and your breath will become strong, thus indicating that you carry a toxic load of foul materials.

Radiation Poisoning Protection

Japan's nuclear radiation leaks, caused by the devastating earthquakes that rocked the nation recently, have raised much concern for the health and safety of its population.

To protect us from possible radiation poisoning, such as strontium, cesium and uranium, Suzy Cohen offers some timely advice on how to detoxify and help pull metals out of the body. Although not in particular order, the suggested options follow:

• Zeolite - This is the clay that helps the body rid of heavy metals, radiation, and other stored toxins in the body. Sold at health food stores.
• Pectasol Chelation Complex by Econugenics - Capsules derived from citrus pectin and sodium alginate (from seaweed). This product gently removes heavy metals and other toxins from the intestines. After the Chernobyl disaster, pectin reduced radioactivity among children with elevated readings by more than 50 percent. Sold in some health food stores and online: www.econugenics.com
• Spirulina Pacifica by Nutrex-Hawaii- A powerful antidote, this blue-green algae could reduce urine radioactivity levels by up to 50 percent in 20 days, according to a 1993 report by the Institute of Radiation Medicine, entitled "Use of spirulina decreases radioactive dose load received from food contaminated with Cesium-137 and Strontium-90." Being a superfood, it also provides nourishment if you don't have food to eat. Hawaiian spirulina is sold at health food stores and online: www.nutrex-hawaii.com
• Iodine - It's most useful in the early stages of exposure. You can get your iodine from food sources, like nori (thin, dried seaweed sheets used in sushi), sea vegetables like arame, kelp and hijike. Eat seaweeds (like wakame) and natural salts like Celtic, Himalayan and Alaea salt.
• Detoxamin by World Health Products - These are suppositories that contain EDTA, a chelating agent that has been clinically proven to remove toxic materials from the body. Sold online at: www.detoxamin.com
• Beta Glucan - An extract from the amazing medicinal Maitake mushrooms, beta glucan has long been prized for its ability to protect and restore health after you've taken radiation or chemo. Sold by many brand names nationwide.
• American Ginseng - It's a stress buster that contains ginsenosides and polysaccharide glycans. A study published in May 2010 suggests ginseng has radioprotective effects on human lymphocytes. It scavenges free radicals (toxins). Sold nationwide at health food stores by various companies.
• NAC - This nutrient is N-acetylcysteine, and in the body it forms glutathione inside the cell, where you want it! Glutathione is a master antioxidant. Get NAC supplements or get this amino acid from protein shakes like whey, rice, or hemp.

(Courtesy of Suzy Cohen, http://dearpharmacist.com/?p=1585)

Nature Is Always Seeking Balance

A diet of whole natural foods--grown naturally in season--aids in maintaining equilibrium between the opposing (complimentary) forces which the ancient Orientals called Yin (positive) and Yang (negative).

The basis of Chinese medical teaching revolves around digestion, assimilation, and elimination--and the principle of YIN YANG.

And speaking of acid-alkaline balance, Organic Consumer reports that the relationship of about 80% alkaline-forming foods (fruits and vegetables) to 20% acid-forming foods (protein) will maintain a healthful balance--IF the stomach produces sufficient hydrochloric acid (HCL). It is when the mineral salts combine with acid foods that excretory glands in the walls of the stomach are stimulated to give their digestive enzymes, including HCL.

Nature has programmed human beings to produce increasingly less HCL as they age, resulting in increasing susceptibility to inborn metabolic errors and genetic weaknesses.

HCL production is dependent upon minerals found in biologically grown vegetables, as determined by Dr. Bernard Spur of Denmark, after 12 years of clinical research.

Deficient soils plus over-processed, over-refined foods and over eating habits that include too few fresh raw foods, emphasize the need for food supplementation, to be sure that the vital nutrients upon which health and life depend, are present each meal.

HCL supplements, in addition to protein digestion, also influence mineral assimilation.

Hydrochloric acid (HCL) is but one component of the stomach's digestive juices and enzymes. The pancreas manufactures and secretes not only pancreatin, but a wide spectrum of enzymes and ferments, active in the small intestine, the primary site for food absorption into the blood stream.

Oranges, tomatoes and pineapple have a decided acid taste, but in the classification of foods into the two major groups--acid or alkaline--each is highly alkaline as determined by the properties of the minerals they contain.

Most fruits and vegetables contain the alkali-forming minerals: sodium, potassium, calcium and magnesium. Proteins, like meats, fish, poultry, eggs and whole grain cereals provide the acid-forming minerals: phosphorous, sulfur and chlorine.

When foods are metabolized (burned) in the body, they yield either an acid or alkaline ash (residue). Meats and whole grain cereals do not waste sour, but they are the acid-forming foods due to their mineral content.

Tidbits. "Heart burns," blighting the life of many elders, is better controlled, not with antacids but with acid--hydrochloric acid--which when deficient permits food to ferment and putrefy, producing those "burpy" acids that can bubble up in the throat.

Holistic (Biological) Dentistry, Part 3

Preventive Care. "The main reason for going to the dentist regularly is prevention--prevention of tooth decay, gum disease, and other disorders that put the health of your teeth and mouth (and even your whole body) at risk," says Dr. Nelson Mari L. Gaba.

Here are more dental tips from Dr. Gaba:

• Brushing and flossing the teeth properly, along with regular dental checkups, can help prevent tooth decay and gum disease.
• Brushing your teeth twice a day and flossing at least once everyday will keep your teeth and gums healthy.
• Brushing the teeth regularly and properly is also the single best way to remove harmful plaque--a thin, sticky film of bacteria found in the teeth.
• Sugar and starches are harmful to teeth and gums. Starchy foods left on teeth may turn to cavity-causing sugar if not properly brushed clean. Sugar, turning into damaging acids, destroys the teeth and gums.

Technique for Brushing Teeth. There is more than one technique of brushing. Deciding which technique is most appropriate depends largely on your teeth position and gum condition. Your dentist can determine which brushing technique is most appropriate for your mouth.

Generally, most dentists recommend a circular technique for brushing. This includes brushing only a small group of teeth at a time, gradually covering the entire mouth. However, a circular or elliptical motion using a back and forth motion may cause the following: a receded gum surface; an exposed and tender root surface; a wearing down of the gum line.

Instead, dentists recommend the following method:

• Place the toothbrush beside your teeth at a 45-degree angle.
• Gently brush only a small group of teeth at a time (on a circular or elliptical motion) until the entire mouth is covered.

A toothbrush head should be small--about 1 inch by 1/2 inch--and should have a handle suitable for firm grasping. The bristles of the brush should be soft nylon and rounded at th ends. This helps ensure that the brush bristles are reaching the spaces between the teeth and the surface. Avoid brushes that are too abrasive as they can wear down the tooth enamel. Thus, medium and hard bristles are not recommended.

How Often to Brush. Brushing is recommended twice a day for at least three to four minutes each time instead of brushing quickly five or more times throughout the day.

Dentists advise brushing your teeth during the day while at work, school, or play. Keeping a toothbrush handy--in your desk or backpack--increases the chance that you will brush during the day.

Brushing with toothpaste helps to accomplish the following: removes plaque; resists decay; cleans and polishes teeth; removes teeth stains; freshens breath.

But which type of toothpaste is best? Dr. Gaba recommends fluoride-free toothpaste readily available in various health stores.

(For more information, visit www.yourholisticdentist.com)