It’s really a challenge to stay on a high raw lifestyle when you live with others who are not.  I took last week and challenged myself to juicing as much as I could.  First I have to say I felt wonderful immediately.  My stomach aches disappeared and as of today, I lost four pounds.  I don’t usually crave cooked, but I was at that point before I started this.  That craving has disappeared along with the sugar cravings.  I’ve been at this point many times over the past few years.  Although I eat a high raw diet, I have my moments.  So it always feels great to get back to who I know I really am.  The emotional piece is another issue.  It seemed my body took me on a whirlwind of processing this last week. 

Do you pop antacids during the day?  Do you take over the counter meds for acid reflux or digestion issues?  If your digestive system isn’t breaking down the nutrients in your food and absorbing it properly, your body won’t be able to stay healthy.  The first question you should ask yourself is, “How’s my poop?”  I know, a touchy subject.  But if your digestive system, from stomach to colon, isn’t working to its optimum efficiency, you won’t be having regular bowel movements.  By regular, I mean 1-2 a day. 

Here are some symptoms of poor digestive health:  Hypertension, joint inflammation, migraines, acne, congestion, anxiety, depression, fuzzy thinking, and loss of bone density.  Most of us have lived with stomach problems for so long, we can’t imagine it being any way else or that there is a solution.  And how many of us are not even making the connection between most of these dis-eases in the body and the food we eat?  Most of your immune system activity starts in the stomach.  Inflammation starts in your digestive system.  Your gastrointestinal system is the part of you that breaks down your food into raw materials and energy.  If you are having problems breaking down and absorbing this food, it can cause many symptoms and start to address other concerns.   Other symptoms that let you know you are not absorbing nutrients are: cramping, gas, weight loss, loss of muscle, chronic diarrhea or constipation, bloating, and hard or fatty stool.

This is the first time I’ve heard of the enteric nervous system (ENS).  Your emotional health is connected to your GI system through the ENS.  You know how your stomach feels when you are stressed?  The mind-body connection is very powerful for maintaining or recovering your physical health.  Your GI tract is 20-30 feet long and lined with a protective mucosal barrier.  In this tract, all food-based antigens, toxins and pathogens (disease causing) are looked at and managed.  Having healthy microflora in your GI tract is one of the most powerful ways to enhance your digestion and build immunity. 

What affects the flora in your gut?  The food you eat, its pH balance, fiber, essential fatty acid content, and glycemic load.  Don’t forget about past antibiotic use!  So if you are not eating a living food lifestyle, and the lining of your GI tract is too permeable, undigested food particles will cross into the bloodstream, causing a condition called leaky gut.  This seems like such a small problem, right?  Food particles?  How can that affect my health?  If all of your systems aren’t working properly, foreign invaders are more harmful.  Your body cannot fight off dis-ease and harmful organisms.  When not working properly, your immune system starts a natural and essential result…an inflammatory response.  This leads to chronic inflammation in your digestive tract and that can lead to certain reactions to food, like dairy and gluten intolerances. 

So are you getting the idea?  If your digestive tract isn’t working properly, it’s probably due to your food intake and emotional well-being.  Raw foods will absolutely help.  The body does not need to expend so much energy in the digestion process and you won’t have to take things like; enzymes, probiotics, acidophilus to restore digestive balance, reset the immune response and aid inflammation.  Your body will crave that which it is allergic to.  Eating a diet high in living foods can help with cravings and emotional well-being.  This type of lifestyle, along with healthy fats and protein, will help your digestive metabolism and regulate your insulin and cortisol.  All of this will give you more energy and definitely elevate your mood. 

Your body used digestive enzymes, stomach acid, bile and digestive hormones to break down food.  Common among adults is an enzyme deficiency in lactase.  This enzyme is needed to digest milk products.  Your stomach acid (hydrochloric acid) decreases as you age.  If you use a pH-balanced diet this will help you not pop those antacids anymore.  Created in the liver, bile is stored in your gallbladder.  Bile is a mixture of cholesterol, salts, pigments, water and minerals and is vital for fat digestion.  There are many hormones used to influence appetite and regulate digestion.  So it certainly looks like if your body cannot provide a healthy level of these fluids, you will definitely experience problems with detoxification AND have trouble maintaining a safe and healthy weight.  Bigger problems include anemia, kidney stones, gallstones, gout and malnutrition.

What else can you do?  Try eliminating the foods that give you stomach aches.  Eating more living foods, taking digestive enzymes and putting back the good bacteria, especially after a dose of antibiotics.  When you eat, just eat.  Chew slowly until your food is liquid.  Remember what Ghandhi said…”Chew your drink and drink your food.”  Stop drinking with your meal.  If you must drink, small amounts of room temperature water is better.  Remember, your goal is to absorb the nutrients of the food you eat and eliminate the rest.  You do not want to have undigested food hanging around having a party in your stomach or your digestive tract.  That can only lead to lots of bacteria that also poops a lot! Don’t even get me started on that one!  Have a great day!

Have you asked yourself this question at any time?  I have and I used to take them at different times.  Usually when I found one on sale at the health food store or if my Mom happened to bring me a bottle from Hippocrates where she worked.  But I never felt like I needed one until recently.  More and more of us are finding benefits from nutritional and herbal supplements.  Sure, diet alone should be able to provide all the essential nutrition necessary for optimal health, but not many of us are eating a diet that could make that possible.  And most one a day multi vitamins provide less than ideal amounts of most key nutrients, not to mention you end up urinating out what your body doesn’t need. 

More and more Americans are now regularly taking vitamin or mineral supplements.  Unfortunately, most people taking a multiple vitamin or mineral supplement are still not getting what they really need.  Rueters Health states that “more than 30 percent of multivitamins tested recently by ConsumerLab.com contained significantly more or less of an ingredient than claimed, or were contaminated with lead..”

Minerals are important.  The key function of vitamins and minerals in the body revolve around their serving the role as essential components in enzymes and coenzymes.  Enzymes are chemicals that speed up the rate of reactions between substances while being consumed themselves.  They are vital to bodily functions like digestion. Enzymes are a type of protein that sometime work in tandem with non-proteins called coenzymes.  If an enzyme is lacking an essential mineral or vitamin, it can’t properly function.  We have to provide the necessary minerals through our diet to help.  These minerals or nutritional formulas help the enzyme perform its vital function.  Here’s an example:  If there is no zinc in the enzyme, the vitamin A cannot be converted to the active form.  This type of deficiency can result in night-blindness. 

How else to get enzymes in you?  A second category of enzymes is in raw foods that aid in the process of digesting those foods.  Such enzymes like proteases, implement the digestion of protein, lipases, help in digesting lipids or fats, and amylases, make it possible to digest carbs.  These enzymes set in motion the digestive process as the food is in the mouth.  They move with the food into your stomach and continue to aid in digestion.

Problems with the tolerable limits of certain multivitamins have been found in several multivitamin products.  Even one type of vitamin water, tested by ConsumerLab.com “had 15 times its stated amount of folic acid, so drinking one bottle would exceed the tolerable limit for adults…”

In my research for writing this blog, I’ve found a lot of information stating multivitamins to be more harmful than helpful.  What to do?  I agree with one doctor saying the safest way to get all the antioxidants and vitamins I need without exceeding doses, is to eat a balanced diet rich in plants, whole grains and legumes.  Fresh fruit and vegetables are far better for you than supplements.  Can you get enough into your diet?  I take a multivitamin a few times a week.  It actually makes me feel better.  In addition I eat a high raw diet and attempt to stay away from dairy and sugar.  Women and men have different nutritional needs.  For instance, men rearly need to supplement their diet with iron.  I am finding I need more iron with perimenopause. 

There’s much to be informed of when it comes to the answer to this question.  As I always say…Do your research.  There is a wealth of knowledge out there.  Find it.  It may be different for you, your spouse or your children.  Take the time to read about what you need or consult your physician.

 These statements are informational only.  Please consult your primary health care physician with questions you may have regarding supplements.

I’d like to take this opportunity to give you a fact about the flu vaccine (not swine).  As you may know, my Dad has had 30% of his heart working for the last 6 years or so.  Recently it has gone down to 13% and he will be having surgery this week.  A month ago his doctor told him to get a flu shot. He never has, but was worried about getting sick especially the way he has been feeling.  He immediately got the flu and was sick for a month from getting a flu shot.  He lost weight and had to postpone his surgery.  This is a fact.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Do you get a burning sensation in your stomach before or after eating? Tried everything and still can’t stop the pain of heartburn or “acid stomach”? According to James Balch, M.D. in his book Prescription For Nutritional Healing ,“….heartburn often occurs when hydrochloric acid, which is used by the stomach for digestion, backs up into the esophagus.” It causes a backflow through the sphincter (ring of muscle) separating the stomach from the esophagus. If this muscle isn’t closing after food flows through, gastro esophageal reflux, or heartburn as you and I know it, can occur. Heartburn can also be caused by alcohol or smoking, which also relaxes the sphincter. Gastric spills can also happen from vigorous exercise or bending or lying down after a meal. There are times when heartburn is caused by a hernia. Please consult a doctor if your symptoms are more than occasional or are accompanied by nausea, shortness of breath or sweating. So we know how it can happen, how do we get rid of it or better yet…how can we avoid it?

Avoiding heartburn by eating slow, small meals is always a great start. Consuming your meals without distraction, in a relaxed atmosphere, will help the ingestion of food. Ghandi said, “Chew your drink and drink your food.” Optimally, one should chew food until liquid in the mouth and drink beverages that are room temperature. Do not drink liquids with meals. This will reduce the hydrochloric acid in your stomach which is needed for digestion and assimilation. Eliminating fried foods, carbonated beverages, processed food, spicy foods and those containing sugar and high in fat content can cause heartburn. Try to eat more raw food. Juice a meal! Eating food when it is liquid, predigested, is a great way for the stomach to immediately process your meal, spending less time in the stomach. Low fat and high protein foods like dried beans, fish, skinless chicken or turkey and skim milk can improve the muscle tone of the sphincter. Fatty foods increase acid in the stomach and will delay digestion. That after dinner coffee, drink or mint candy can also cause heartburn.

Now on to some “folk remedies.” I eliminated all my stomach problems with a high raw diet. The only time my stomach acts up now is when I eat sugar or too much cooked foods. Apple cider vinegar! I always have this on hand. Taking a tablespoon or two of apple cider vinegar with a splash of water is said to stop heartburn for those who do not produce enough acid in their stomach. How about a serving of cooked buckwheat groats or oatmeal in the morning? Not only will it help prevent heartburn, it’s a healthy alternative for breakfast. Some other options are: Lettuce water (iceberg lettuce with some water), raw potato juice with the skin followed by a water chaser, a stick of raw carrot or celery, or kiwi fruit. You can also try massage. Press or massage a point one inch to the left of the center of the chest for 10 seconds, release for another ten, and repeat three times.

Here’s what author, Louise Hay says about heartburn in her book, Heal Your Body, The Mental Causes for Physical Illness and the Metaphysical Way to Overcome Them. Probable cause: Fear, fear, fear. Clutching fear. New thought pattern: I breathe freely and fully. I am safe. I trust the process of life.

If your symptoms persist, please visit your doctor. The information written here should not take the place of your primary care doctor.

…but at least you don’t have to look at these pictures.  So to prove my devotion to my own and your healthy living, this article is about that deep dark place most of us would like to avoid considering completely, our colon.  And oh the places I’ve gone to research it.  The insanity started back in 1979 when Dr. Norman Walker published Colon Health, a book that has endured throughout the years and is still one of the best sources of information on the importance of keeping this part of your digestive tract in tact.  (The cover even has a cool picture of The Silver Surfer with hair.)  Among a wealth of important information on how the colon functions, why it is imperative to keep it healthy and how to do that, Dr. Walker discusses what he calls “colon irrigation”.  That’s right boys and girls, the Doc means colonics.  Don’t worry, I’m not going to focus much on this aspect of colon health because…  well, it’s disgusting.  But if you’re in the first phases of a real life change in diet, consider a colon cleanse—which usually will include colonics and/or enemas.  About 12 years ago when I was a new vegetarian I bit the bullet, opened my mind and did one.  And although there was trauma, the benefits were undeniable.  (I’d like to officially apologize to my parents for having to read that)  You’ve spent years filling your body with toxic materials and it’s time to get that stuff out.  But do your research and do it right.  So here’s the low-down on the down low:

Your large intestine consists of the caecum, the colon and the rectum.  It is responsible for the re-absorption of many nutrients and water, and ensures normal defecation (that means pooping). The colon is the site where most of the absorption of water, salts and vitamins takes place.  Some food components, such as dietary fiber and oligosaccharides, which escape digestion in the upper parts of the digestive tract, are exposed to bacterial digestion in the colon. The colonic microflora, (which are good bacterial microorganisms) not only digest otherwise indigestible food components, they also synthesize a variety of significant vitamins which are utilized by the human body like Vitamin K (essential for blood clotting), Vitamin B12 (prevents harmful anemia) Thiamin (B1) and riboflavin (B2) (metabolic processes/energy, nervous system functioning and lower homocysteine levels implicated in heart disease).  These microflora also ferment otherwise indigestible food components to short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) which provide fuel for the cells of the colon and help with the absorption of water and salts.  Microflora like Lactobacilli, and Bifidobacteria help boost immunity overall and increase our resistance to various infections like Candida, Salmonella and E-coli.  Research has even shown that a happy colon plays a part in lowering cholesterol.

What you essentially need to understand about colon health is that if the colon isn’t functioning correctly—which really means it’s not cleansed—the rest of the organs can’t cleans their waste.  Some experts assert that there is really only one disease–autointoxication or malnutrition.  That means it’s all about the diet.  A bad diet doesn’t digest well, and ultimately creates feces that are sticky, hard and difficult to get out (I know, I know).  Therefore it builds up along the colon wall and, Presto!; you’re filled with decaying toxins and poisonous gas.  The system backs up and the body gets sick.  It’s like a sewer backing up in New York City.  No matter how efficiently everything else runs, it’s all coming to a stop.

If you have doubts just look up some of the pictures of waste matter eliminated during colon cleanses (I dare you).  Also consider that according to the American Cancer Society, colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer diagnosed in men and women in the United States and the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths with more than 153,000 new cases and more than 52,000 deaths expected this year.  Infections, antibiotics and excessive stress also impact the health of the colon so once again it’s all about balance.

In the end (no pun intended) colon health is all about a holistic, healthy lifestyle.  Keep your weight down, don’t drink alcohol excessively, don’t smoke, meditate or find some way to alleviate stress, exercise, drink plenty of water and for God’s sake eat right.  A healthy colon requires fiber, calcium, Vitamin D (sunlight), B (folic acid) and the rest of them.  First off stop with the processed food and cut way back or eliminate red meat.  M.D. Anderson suggests at least five servings of fruits and vegetables a day for colon health and I’d suggest even more.  Juicing and blending can really assist in getting that daily requirement but remember fruits and vegetables are loaded with anti-cancer, immune-system-strengthening properties and they are fibrous and assist in digestion.  For more fiber eat your oats, legumes, whole grains and wheat bran.  Yogurt and fermented milk products, which contain live Lactobacilli, promote healthy microflora and you can also take microflora supplements.  Finally, if you’re over 50, get screened.  Because of an increase in colorectal screenings over the past years, new colorectal cancer cases have been decreasing steadily.  It’s you’re butt, better take care of it.

Be well

JuicyJosh

I’m not really sure what that title’s about.  “Bill and Ted go to Dune” maybe?  Anyway, it’s a sad fact that although my secret sci-fi fantasies would have me doing battle alongside Fremen warriors on the great sands of the desert planet, the truth about the inhabitants of such a place would be far off from the super humans described in Frank Herbert’s novel.  That level of water depletion would more likely create a population of frail, sickly, lethargic and unintelligent people.

Ok, so now that I’ve given away my super geek-ness what’s all this about?  Well, it’s all about water—the giver and preserver of life.  If it weren’t for the existence of this wondrous compound of hydrogen and oxygen none of us, and in fact nothing we know of life would exist.  Over 75 percent of our body is composed of this stuff and to maintain proper hydration it’s estimated that we need about 10 cups a day (approx. 1 milliliter for each calorie of food).   Some doctors claim we need much more than that and although I wrote an article showing evidence that the 8 glass a day necessity was a myth, there’s no doubt that there’s a lot more to dehydration than dry mouth.  When water consumption is inadequate, certain body systems steal from others to protect different tissues and organs, which results in pain, tissue damage, and variety of many other health problems.  One physician even claims drinking more water can be helpful in curing everything from headaches and depression to asthma and arthritis.

Pure water is essential for the digestion of food and for its transport to the tissues, for the elimination of body wastes, for the circulation of body fluids (like blood and lymph), for a lubricant in the joints and internal organs and for the regulation of body temperature. Water is part of the blood system holding dissolved minerals, like calcium and magnesium in solution, making them available to body tissues where they are required for proper health and when it is plentiful, blood viscosity, joint cartilage, blood capillaries, digestion, the ATP energy system and the spinal column, all work in an efficient, easy manner.

So what about the quality of water we put into our bodies?  Here’s where it gets interesting.  If you’re feeling comfortable drinking straight from the tap, think about this.  Average city water today contains over 500 chemicals that do not belong in it.  In the United States, over 2100 organic and inorganic contaminants have been identified in drinking water supplies since 1974. 190 of these contaminants have confirmed adverse health effects, whether carcinogens, mutagens, teratogens or toxic.  75 percent of drinking water in the U.S. is chlorinated and although chlorination has been essential in helping to reduce the incidence of infectious diseases, known carcinogens, such as chloroform and trihalomethanes, are formed when chlorine reacts with organic compounds in the water.  Room doesn’t allow but trust me when I say that the above just scratches the surface of the information available and  I encourage everyone to look into it and make their own decisions.

Now I’m not a conspiracy theorist and I don’t think the EPA has failed us (I mean Peru discontinued chlorination and caused a cholera epidemic for God’s sake) but there’s enough evidence in my opinion to warrant some serious safety precautions.  Many people are going so far as to use chlorine filtering shower heads but in the least I believe it’s essential to drink purified water.  Frighteningly, many studies have shown that most bottled water isn’t much better than what you get from the tap so do it yourself.  There are many options available and when you consider the benefits, it’s a no brainer.

Be well,

JuicyJosh