Dry Skin Rash – 5 Eczema Benefits of Chewing Your Food

One of the easiest ways to improve your health and thus begin to heal your eczema is to start chewing your foods more thoroughly.We are all busy people and we tend to eat on the go which means we are chopping and swallowing food without any thought to whether our food is being sufficiently broken down in our mouths.However if you develop some patience and self-mastery you can totally change the way your food is digested which will result in healthier skin amongst other things. When you chew your food more of the nutrients will be absorbed by your system, which will lead to healthier skin. When you chew your food you encourage nutrient assimilation and strengthened digestion.One of the important aspects to remember about chewing is that when you chew your food thoroughly it is more completely and efficiently digested.When you chew carbohydrates for instance, the digestive enzyme ptyalin found in saliva begins to breakdown your food. If food is swallowed without thorough chewing, then the pancreatic enzymes cannot continue with the digestion process.This will result in only partial absorption of nutrients and fermentation of your food. Fermentation produces excessive carbon dioxide which results in gas and bloating.Poor chewing can also result in you feeling heavy, or having itchy skin, feeling sluggish and irritable.Chew your food to achieve these additional eczema benefits:Additional benefits you will achieve by chewing your foods, say 30 to 40 times per mouthful include:Eczema Benefits of Chewing – Tip #1Thoroughly chewing your food will result in improved elimination. This will help reduce the amount of toxin and waste you tuck away as it is expelled from your system faster. Excess waste and toxin is a major cause of eczema.Eczema Benefits of Chewing – Tip #2Thoroughly chewing your food will result in a more balanced digestive system. When you chew your food more thoroughly you create a more alkaline condition which reduces the acid in your food before you swallow. An over acidic system is another cause of eczema.Eczema Benefits of Chewing – Tip #3Thoroughly chewing your food will result in you eating less food. After twenty minutes of eating your brain receives a signal to stop eating as your are satisfied. When you chew your food thoroughly this signal is sent to your brain sooner.Eczema Benefits of Chewing – Tip #4Thoroughly chewing your food will result in clearer thinking and healthier nervous system. By eating less and chewing more your body receives more oxygen which is very important for your nervous system. Oxygen is also used in the digestion of your food.Eczema Benefits of Chewing – Tip #5Finally, thoroughly chewing your foods will result in improved creativity as you become more calm whilst eating. This will result in you becoming more creative and being able to think things through.

The concept of “Food Triggers” in health science is not new. Simply put, a food trigger can be any food that causes or “triggers” a reaction or change in the body. Food triggers work by the interaction of the body with the macro nutrients (Proteins, Carbohydrates, and Fats) in the foods. Because of their genetics and biochemistry each individual reacts to food macro nutrients differently. Many people are familiar with and affected by food triggers like milk, peanuts, cheese, and wine that cause allergic reactions and migraine headaches; but fewer people are familiar with food triggers that can generate weight loss.

Simply stated, a Weight Loss Food Trigger is any food or combination of foods that help generate weight loss in an individual. When we speak of a food helping generate weight loss, we are really speaking of how your body utilizes the proportions of the macro nutrients in the foods you eat. Although the biochemistry involved in the metabolization (break down) of these macro nutrients is similar between individuals, how they are utilized in the body can be very different between individuals.

Despite fad diets and media hype; ALL of the macro nutrients are essential to life and NONE are more important than the others. Any healthy diet will include ALL the macro nutrients although not necessarily in equal proportions. Common to all the macro nutrients is carbon and all the macro nutrients are all ultimately metabolized through a set of chemical reactions called the Krebs Cycle to generate heat and energy.

Scientists measure the relationship between how macro nutrients are metabolized in the body through a process known as Calorimetry. Calorimetry is commonly done at hospitals, research facilities and elite fitness facilities reserved for professional and Olympic athletes. It involves the athlete riding a sophisticated cycle or treadmill while attached to mouth breathing and electronic body monitors. It measures oxygen inhaled versus the products of metabolized macro nutrients exhaled with the mouth monitor.

Nutrition research results reveals that changes in the proportions of macro nutrients ingested can effect changes in weight. Thus, weight loss is not only dependent on how much you eat but also the proportion of macro nutrients you eat. Further, the specific proportion of macro nutrients necessary to generate weight loss (Weight Loss Food Trigger) is different for each individual.

Until now, the only way to calculate a weight loss food trigger would be by an expensive and week long stay at a hospital, research facility or elite fitness facility. Now, commercially available software allows anyone to calculate their own weight loss food triggers in the privacy of their own home. Macro nutrient information that would be derived from Calorimetry can be approximated indirectly by using Body Index calculations. Body Index calculations include things like: Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR); Body Mass Index (BMI); Lean Body Mass (LBM); and Body Fat Percentage (BF). This software automatically, monitors and looks for a relationship between your Body Indexes, Food Intake, and weight to find your weight loss food trigger.

Diabetes and Exercise

Exercise is next. Exercise not only helps you to feel good about your-self, but, when done on a daily or every-other-day basis, it can decrease depression, increase the pain threshold, and improve cardio­vascular strength. To be effective as a form of stress management, the exercise must be participated in for 20 to 30 minutes daily or every other day. When you are mentally tired, exercise will act as a stimulant. When you want to be more creative and more organized, exercise will stimulate these attributes. Too much exercise, or exercise performed when the body is in a stressed state (that is, with blood-sugar levels of 250 mg/dl [14 mmol] or greater, or during illness), will only lead to a stressed state or will aggravate the existing stressed state. Exercising wisely can aid in decreasing the physical stress responses of the body. Be sure that food and/or nutrients are timed and are in the proper amounts to give you the best support. Nutrition is perhaps one of the most important anti-stressors available. Good nutrition is really very subtle in its actions. Just as with diabetes, outwardly you may not be aware of any difference, but inwardly the body is responding differently. As you become more aware of the impact of nutrition on your body, you will notice changes in skin tone, a sense of alertness, less bloating or other intestinal problems, and so forth. For stress management, you need to think not only about how much you eat but also about what you eat, when you eat, and how fast you eat. As with earlier advice on nutrition, most of the directions for nutrition related to stress management apply to the nondiabetic person as well. How is nutrition useful as an antistressor? Eating the appropriate amount for the activity or for growth and development is helpful. An overloaded stomach leads to sluggish thinking and sluggish activity. The composition of the food determines the nutritional status of the body. Purposefully planning to replace nutrients that have been used or to take in the right nutrients at the right time leads to better health. Eating at erratic times can throw the body out of balance, not only in terms of the digestive functions but also in terms of the action time of medication taken to control blood-glucose levels. Sweets are empty calories and don’t make you feel good. And too much of any one food-whether it is sweets, high fiber, or anything else can throw your body out of balance and result in some organic effects.

A healthy digestive system is crucial to your overall health. Today more and more people have reported having problems like indigestion, acidity and poor waste elimination. The reason is the fast paced life style, and lack of adequate sleep or lack of nourishing diet. Our fast food diets contain refined sugar, preservatives, antibiotic, and hormones that interfere with digestion and health in general. So called “junk food” is contributing to a vast variety of ailments and obesity.

Natural digestive supplements, vitamins, herbs and probiotics are well known to provide people with fast relief from problems like indigestion, acidity and poor waste elimination. Since conventional synthetic drugs are often very difficult for the body to absorb and carry undesirable side effects, an effective alternative is the use of all natural enzymes, fiber, vitamins, supplements, herbs, and probiotics that are derived from natural sources. All natural digestive aids are fast acting and easily absorbed by the human body. Natural digestion chewable wafers or liquids help your body to better absorb food nutrients from the foods you eat and the supplements you take - plus you’re able to break down dairy products and other hard-to-digest foods. Natural digestion enzymes, fiber, supplements, vitamins, herbs, and probiotics help balance and ease digestive discomfort.

Enzymes are proteins that are a vital energy factor needed for every digestive action and reaction that our body needs for proper health. Enzymes combine with coenzymes forming almost 100,000 different substances in the body that make it possible to see, hear, feel, move, digest food and allow the brain to function efficiently. All organs, tissues and all the 100 trillion cells in our bodies depend on the interaction of metabolic enzymes and the energy they help produce. Enzymes break down food particles that are too large or have begun to putrefy. When food particles are too large or have begun to putrefy, our bodies are unable to absorb them and they become like invaders to our blood stream, cells and intestines. Then our immune system begins to attack them in order to protect us. The results may take the forms of nausea, runny eyes, headaches, acid reflux, heart burn, fatigue, allergies or respiratory difficulty, leaky gut, weight gain, candida, or constipation.

Conventional cooking, cooking with a microwave, processed foods and some freezing destroy the enzymes naturally contained in food. At times our own body’s enzyme producing capacity gets overwhelmed and our metabolic digestive ability is compromised. The use of antibotics also destroys beneficial micoflora in our intestines. Research indicates that as we age, the cells in our pancreas becomes less efficient causing an enzyme deficiency that weakens the trillions of cells in our bodies. This enzyme deficiency then, in turn, speeds the aging process creating an undesirable cycle. We can counteract the effects of food preparation, aging, and digestion overwhelm by using all natural enzyme supplements and formulas that increase the amount of enzymes in our body and create a healthy, properly functioning digestive system.

Probiotics derived from natural sources enhancethe growth of beneficial microflora in our intestines. Mircoflora helps process vitamins, nutrients and enzymes that enhance digestive process. The microflora protects our bodies by removing harmful foreign materials that our bodies cannot remove and prevent harmful bacteria from growing in our intestines that causes illness. As we age, the health microflora in our intestines decreases. Our common complaint as we age, is that we cannot eat the way we used to eat or the foods we used to be able to eat. We may develop lactose intolerance, have difficulty with waste elimination, experience respiratory difficulty, acid relux,and feel less energetic or perhaps toxic. Regular replacement of beneficial microflora with the use of all natural probiotics helps us to continually breakdown dairy products or other food that are difficult to digest enabling us to avoid experiencing acid reflux, weight gain and other digestive difficulties that actually speed the aging process.

Of course, all natural fiber is extremely important for good digestion. Soluble fiber attracts water during digestion. This slows down the digestive process and allows you stomach and intestine to absorb more of the nutrition from the food you have eaten. All natural insoluble fiber allows food to move through the digestive tracts of your body and then enables waste and toxins to be eliminated through the bowel. Insoluble fiber removes any blockage in the intestines that may lead to constipation. Fiber is essential for your body to absorb vital vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients and to facilitate the removal of waste materials.

All natural enzymes, fiber, vitamin, supplements, herbs, and probotics help our body to better absorb and utilize the food we eat. They also help us experience proper waste elimination which is vital for removing toxins that could cause us harm and speed the aging process. A well functioning, healthy digestive system is vital to our well being. All natural digestive aid products are an enormous advantage over the use of conventional synthetic drugs. Together, all natural probiotics, digestive enzymes and fiber are a powerhouse for healthy digestion.

Crohns recipes can play an important role in preventing Crohn’s symptoms or flare ups, regardless if a person suffers from Crohn’s ileitis or another form. It is no secret that the food a person ingests can have positive or negative affects on their digestive system and gastrointestinal tract.

However, just because a person with Crohn’s has to watch what they eat, and omit various food products from their diet, doesn’t mean they can’t enjoy the foods they eat. The following are five foods that are generally considered safe for a Crohns recipes diet and can provide extra nutrition and/or flavour.

1. Honey – Honey is a natural sweetener that has healing properties. It is a good source of antioxidants and is ideal for treating diarrhea, as it encourages rehydration in the body and soothes the stomach. In addition, honey has free sugar molecules which actually improves brain function and reduces fatigue.

It is imperative that you purchase local raw honey to ensure you are receiving all of its nutrients and enzymes in your crohns recipes. The best place to look for this honey is in health stores.

Recipe tips – Honey is perfect for sweetening your tea and other beverages. Also consider using honey as spread for your bread, and as an alternative to sugar required in certain recipes.

2. Coconut oil – Coconut oil contains a significant amount of lauric acid. This acid is easy to digest, and also works to strengthen the immune system, allowing protection against bacterial, viral and fungal infections.

In addition, Coconut oil detoxifies the liver, and aids in building fats, lipoproteins, bile and hormones which are needed for digestion; thus creating a healthy digestive tract. Coconut oil encourages the absorption of food nutrients, and speeds up metabolism.

Recipe tips: Use coconut oil for cooking. Use coconut oil as the substitute in crohns recipes that call for margarine, butter or other unhealthy oils. In addition, when left in room temperature, virgin coconut oil solidifies and can be used as a spread for bread in place of butter or margarine.

3. Soy Products – Soy products such as soy milk, soy burgers, soy meats, and soy cheese, tempeh and tofu, are excellent sources of protein and are ideal replacements for dairy. Some believe soy helps to reduce bowel inflammation associated with Crohn’s disease.

Recipe tips: Soy products come in many forms such as meats, burgers, cheese and milk. By substituting regular meat and dairy products for soy, and including dark leafy green vegetables, you can enjoy the meals you’ve always liked, and still obtain the nutrients you need. Try adding soy milk or soy vanilla milk to cereal, in tea or fruit smoothies, and top off your salad with soy cheese.

4. Extra Virgin Olive Oil - Extra virgin olive oil is vegetable based and an excellent addition to crohns recipes. This oil helps to protect your intestines as it contains potent antioxidants. Olive oil also increases the body’s absorption of a number of vitamins including A, D, E, and K. Furthermore, it encourages faster healing and increases metabolism.

Recipe tips: Olive oil is a flavor enhancer and is a fantastic alternative to margarine or butter for recipes and as condiment. For instance, you can use it as a salad dressing.

5. Essential Fatty Acid Foods – Be sure to spice up your recipes with foods that are high in essential fatty acids, as they are known to prevent inflammation within the bowel. Good sources of such foods include dark green leafy vegetables, rapeseed, walnuts and flaxseed.

Recipe tips: Introduce salad to your diet, and don’t be afraid to add nuts and seeds to recipes. For instance, if you have a cookie recipe you love, add some walnuts.

Remember, not everyone’s Crohn’s symptoms are triggered by the same foods. Therefore, make sure you find out what foods aggravate your condition, so you can avoid them. If you are having a difficult time finding crohns recipes that work for you, it’s a good idea to take your concerns and questions to a qualified dietitian who can help you find answers, and start you on a diet that works for you.

About the author: Grab your free copy of Sharon Dobson’s brand new Crohn’s Disease Newsletter - Overflowing with easy to implement methods to help you discover more about acupuncture and crohns

Moringa-The breast feeding supplement

Many people across the world are learning about the enormous health benefits of Moringa. Moringa is a fast growing tree that produces leaves and fruit pods that are consumed as a highly nutritious food. The nutritional density and diversity of Moringa has deemed it the “Elixir Tree” or nature’s most nutritious food. The nutrients in this miracle from nature have been reported to treat over 300 different diseases and disorders of the body.Aside from the obvious health benefits exhibited by Moringa, mothers around the world have been using it obscurely as a natural way to increase breast milk. The natural constituents of Moringa leaves and fruit pods are nature’s answer to helping mothers produce copious amounts of highly nutritious milk for their infants. The term given an herb or food that increases the flow or production of breast milk is galactogogue.Moringa has been clinically proven to increase the production of breast milk whether it is consumed before or after the birth of a baby.Mothers who took Moringa were shown to produce more than 2x the amount of breast milk than those who didn’t. We all know instinctively that breast milk is the ultimate food prescribed by nature for the infant child and Moringa can be instrumental in helping mothers produce more of this precious food.The health benefits of Moringa are legendary and it would not be hard to figure that it could be an important step for any potential mother to consider taking Moringa to supplement their nutritional needs thus passing on to the growing fetus critical nutrients that are vital to a healthy baby at delivery. The importance of certain nutrients during the gestation period (notably folic acid for the prevention of spina bifida) solidifies the need for a food supplement that gives the body a complete array of nutrients in a safe bio-available form. Also mothers who took Moringa during pregnancy have experienced being able to produce milk much quicker after delivery verses those mothers who didn’t. It’s very important for the newborn to get vital nutrients such as good fats (DHA and EPA) for brain development, immune system protectors, digestable protein, the amino acids argenine and histidine plus many others as soon as possible to start the process of total body development. Nothing is better at supplying those nutrients than breast milk fortified from a mother taking Moringa.Babies that are breastfed have been proven by research to be far healthier across all spectrums because breast milk offers all the nutrients their growing bodies need during the first 6 months. Breastfed babies have much improved immune systems, less allergies, better digestion, greater intelligence and the list goes on and on. Why wouldn’t any mother or mother to be, want to give their bundle of joy the absolute best that they can give, even if it meant having to use a breast pump and storing the breast milk in the fridge for later use? The use of Moringa by the mother would create the ultimate breast milk made even more nutritious by the vast array of vital nutrients naturally available to the mother. To put it simply, if the mother is granted better health by ingesting Moringa ,all of her healthy benefits are passed on to the baby for a future of better health.Moringa leaves and fruit pods are truly nature’s greatest compilation of vital nutrients for total body health. It is a virtual panacea of health benefits unmatched by any herbal or food supplement that I have seen in over 30 years of studying natural medicine (for my own health). Moringa’s universal application, efficacy, low price and safety makes it the most perfect food supplement for the youngest to the most senior citizen. Health foods major, Grenera Nutrients has launched a new product called Yelixir combines all the attributes of Moringa leaf and fruit pods in an economical powder and capsule form. Yelixir is the low cost alternative to vitamin pills and the over priced - hyped up health products on the market. Find more information on all natural - organic Yelixir at: http://www.yelixir.com

People suffering from erectile dysfunction almost always turn to all sorts of medication first, hoping to be able to get treatment for their disability and improve their sexual ability.

Causes of erectile dysfunction are varied. They can be caused by stress, wrong lifestyle, medical (and even economical) condition. Though treatments abound, it is also prudent to have some knowledge on the best supplements for erectile dysfunction.

Having a proper knowledge about the right kind of supplements can help treat the disorder at a lower cost. Aside from being cheaper than medication, supplements have little or no side effects. Another great thing about it is that aside from avoiding embarrassing consultations with the doctor, you get to keep your health in check.

Your best bet: Proper Diet!

Maintaining the right kind of diet is the best supplement for erectile dysfunction. Since ED happens because of an insufficient amount of blood in the male organ, taking a look into one’s food intake can help you easily diagnose the cause for the erectile dysfunction and lead you to an easier, healthier, and more affordable cure.

Food / Nutrients that can be taken as supplements for erectile dysfunction:

1. Garlic

Known as an aphrodisiac in the Eastern countries, eating garlic develops warmth in the body, particularly in the stomach area. It also stimulates and regulates hormonal secretions resulting in the revitalization of one’s body. In China, they give credit to garlic for their sexual vigour.

Aside from being a healthy and effective supplement for erectile dysfunction, garlic can also be used as an ointment to help stimulate and maintain erection by rubbing it on the genitalia and lower back.

2. Oysters and other foods rich in zinc

Oysters, aside from being another example of an aphrodisiac, are also good supplements for erectile dysfunction.

Studies show that even the slightest zinc deficiency in the body can hamper one’s sexual vigor. Furthermore, an insufficient zinc level in the body can also lead to a reduced sperm count. This mineral is necessary for the manufacture of testosterone, therefore a low count of zinc in the body can affect one’s sexual growth and maturation.

There are many supplements for erectile dysfunction that work great, it just involves spending the time researching each supplement to find which one works best for you. One of the worst things you can do is take erectile dysfunction supplements that have no effect on you and will only cause you more trouble than what its worth. The best erectile dysfunction supplement in my opinion that worked the best for me was using oysters and other foods rich in zinc. This will give you an extra boost of confidence and your erectile dysfunction will go away in no time at all. There is no point in using harmful erectile dysfunction medications when you can cure erectile dysfunction the all natural ways. I wish you the best of luck in your search to curing erectile dysfunction. It is one of the worst problems a man can face in their life!

Listen To The Birdies Chew Chew Chew

Chewing is the process of biting/nibbling and grinding/mashing food in your mouth, so that it is easier to swallow,digest and obtain food nutrients.

Have you ever thrown bread crumbs/food scraps to neighboring birds that frequent your home,park or local eatery ? If you’ll observe closely, the birds that accept your offerings, often break/divide the selected crumbs/scraps into even smaller pieces and chew their foods several times before selecting another crumb/scrap to be eaten.

I can hear the “haters” saying …”Hey that’s because they’re small beings .. get outta here!” ….stay with me and I’ll drive the point home.

In today’s “speed racer/jetset/bottom line” society, we often eat while talking on our IPHONE,RAZR(Bluetooth or Not),listening to our IPODS/MP3 Players, tapping on our computers ( notebook or desktop or blackberry), playing video games on our wii, Nintendo playstations or popular electronic, attending sporting events/concerts/plays, watching television/movies/DVDS,and sometimes while driving and walking to name a few.

Often while eating and performing various activities ,we don’t focus on the importance of chewing food well. Studies have shown that chewing more not only aids digestion, but can lead to eating less, which can be due to eating slower and giving your body time to register the “fullness” factor.

Studies show that the digestive process starts the moment that foods are placed in your mouth. Additionally, the saliva from your mouth contains anti-bacterial that also aid the digestive system. So, the more you chew and chew well, the better your foods are for your stomach and well being.
Source (www.mindbodysoul.tv,: http://tinyurl.com/3eju4r).

Still not convinced ? Source: (www.plasmetic.com) “For a flat stomach, you have to chew the food well…” AB exercises, Cardio and fitness routines are important for improving your
body, but how well you chew your food is also important.

So, the next time you are eating …think of the “Birdies” and Chew Chew Chew and Chew well!

Increase You Health In 7 Minutes/Day

There are a wide variety of possible problems that one can have with the digestive system. They may include a number of organs. Here we are discussing a basic sluggishness, weakness or inability to digest and / or assimilate our food nutrients. Symptoms might be bloating, flatulence, frequent burping, discomfort after eating, pain in the abdominal area. Ulcers and gastritis will require more specific instructions.

SOME POSSIBLE CAUSES

1. Hereditary weaknesses in the digestive organs. This does not mean that you are doomed to suffer. You can learn how to live wisely and not suffer at all from such a problem.

2. Poor dietary habits which have weakened our digestive system.

3. Nutritional deficiencies.

4. Blockages in the spinal nerves, which regulate the functioning of the digestive organs.

5. A lack of digestive enzymes and / or friendly bacteria in the intestines.

6. Emotional tension, which is affects these organs.

EFFECTIVE NATURAL SOLUTIONS

1. Eat properly and at regular times of the day, so that your digestive system can prepare itself.

a. Do not eat between meals.

b. Eat only when hungry.

c. Do not eat again until the previous meal has been digested.

2. Do not drink liquids with the meal. They dilute the digestive juices.

3. Follow the guidelines for proper food combining, especially concerning not eating sweet fruit with or after the meal.

4. If you have serious problems, then eat only one food at each meal for a period of time.

5. Do not eat food cold from the refrigerator.

6. Chew slowly making your food a liquid in your mouth before swallowing.

7. Garlic and lemon aid in the digestion of vegetables and proteins. (Watch out if you have an active ulcer).

8. Occasionally fast or eat only one food (apples, peas, watermelon, grapes, brown rice) for a few days. This will help your digestive system to rest and detoxify and revitalize itself.

9. Drink hot or warm water between meals (at least 3 hours after the meal and 15 minutes before).

10. Herb teas often help: mint, chamomile, anise, garlic.

11. Make sure that you have one or more bowel movements everyday.

12. Engage in some light activity after eating before lying down to rest.

13. Get plenty of daily exercise and take walks in nature if at all possible.

14. Never eat when emotionally upset. Do some breathing or relaxation first and then eat.

15. Learn to massage your own abdomen with shiatsu or “ambuko” massage. (Be sure that you do not have appendicitis)

16. Massage the soles of your feet where there are the reflex points for the various digestive organs. You can use a foot roller or round bottle to roll the bottom of your foot on in order to stimulate these points.

17. Spiritual Healing is especially beneficial. Place your hands on your abdominal area and send light, love and healing energy through your hands to your organs and yourself.

18. Harmonize your emotional life by changing beliefs and attitudes through reading, self-analysis, meditation, prayer and group work.

19. If your liver or gall bladder is sluggish you can use a castor oil pack to stimulate your liver, gall bladder, stomach and small intestines. (This method is described by Edgar Cayce in various books.)

20. Consult a yoga teacher for specific exercises, which relax, tonify and rejuvenate the organs of digestion, assimilation and excretion.

21. Do deep relaxation daily and contact the peace in the center of your being.

22. Perform EFT for these problems and he emotions that might be contributing to them.

When we care for our body, it serves us more joyfully.

For more about creating natural health go here

http://www.HolisticHarmony.com/archives/health/

Are you sick and tired of hearing that you should eat a high protein diet with vegetables at every meal?  How boring is that?!  Most of us tend to crave foods with more flavoring which are usually high in fat and processed with little nutritional value.  The result is a toxic colon which causes constipation, stool hardening and more serious problems if not taken care of properly.  So, what preventative steps can we take ensure a healthy colon in this fast food culture we live in today?

The colon is located in your large intestine and its job is to complete the digestion process by removing waste after the small intestine absorbs food nutrients.  The food and drinks you put into your body create cells for regeneration.  They feed the immune system which affects mood, behavior, sleep, sleep patterns, cognitive ability and performance.  That’s why we need to force ourselves to eat smarter instead of easier with pre-packaged meals read to go. 

Colon cancer is the 2nd largest cause of cancer in the U.S. only following lung cancer.  One of the major contributing factors of this disease is a diet rich in fatty foods along with a sedentary lifestyle.  To help prevent colon problems drink plenty of fresh water (preferably filtered or spring); embrace a healthy diet of green leafy vegetables, fresh fruit, oats, and whole grains. Also, chicken, turkey, and fish along with foods high in fiber are adequate a few times a week.   Other benefits of a clean colon include: increased energy levels, clear skin, improvement in concentration, and an overall feeling of better health. 

Did you know raspberries have the highest fiber of any fruit?  Also, raw vegetables such as carrots, broccoli, cabbage, peas, and celery are all rich in fiber.  Fiber keeps food moving through the intestine and expands the inside walls of the colon making waste easier to pass.  You should have no more than 2-3 bowel movements a day which should mirror your number of meals.   Everything in moderation is always a good rule of thumb so be careful not consume too much fiber as it hinders the absorption of other essential nutrients.  If you follow these simple rules, you will be on your way to a healthier you.