Immunity and your Circulation

The greatest defense against foreign microbial invasion is a strong immune system. Many do not realize that the lymphatic system, a component of the blood circulatory system, is a critical player here. It manages fluid balance, conserves protein and filters our blood. About 1/2 of your lymph nodes, the blood filtering stations, are in the abdomen, where congestion is common. Americans spend a whopping Billion $$ on laxatives annually, often getting unsatisfactory results. A person who doesn't know how it feels to have a good bowel evacuation EVERY DAY, is likely to have enough stored waste and gas to compromise all of the body's circulation, especially the ability to keep oxygen and nutrients bathing all of one's tissues, as well as to detoxify all systems throughout life. Poor elimination history is a clue to me that your immune system is functioning LESS THAN OPTIMALLY, so that germ fighting white blood cells and lymphocytes are overwhelmed with the job of removing the pathogens/toxins we are exposed to daily. When our own personal army of friendly bacteria and healthy blood cells can't do their jobs correctly, our health suffers. Sometimes, full blown illness results. Plenty of pure water helps to keep all of our body fluids flowing better. Fecal matter should be about 1/2 water and when it isn't, it gets stuck, weakening the bowel's musculature over time. Eventually, as in all cases of chronic constipation, those muscles atrophy, because excess stored waste is like having a permanent cast on muscles that must exercise to allow for normal digestion and elimination. I strongly recommend a consultation with me if you know your elimination is compromised, so that I can help you find solutions to stagnant circulation and internal pollution that make you a target for opportunistic microbes like COVID-19. A good colon cleanse may be life saving, but definitely energy-enhancing. The ARE spa in Virginia Beach is open for colon hydrotherapy, so if you're not symptomatic with fever, cough, etc., it is safe to jump start your own immune system boost, with a cleaner colon and good information about alkaline-forming foods that help to maintain optimal digestive function. This is the CORE WITHIN THE CORE that fitness fans and everyone else cannot neglect if health is desired.

GAS

Most people don't want to talk about gas, either intestinal gas or gas that can produce belching. As a colonic therapist, gas is something I talk about at great length. Not talking about it won't make it go away, and knowing more about it may help a person to make simple changes that could improve health, as well as diminish some of the embarrassing sounds most of us emit from time to time.
The major gases of the intestinal tract are actually odorless: hydrogen, oxygen, carbon dioxide and methane. Gas is a natural by-product of digestion; gas is released as chemical bonds that hold food molecules together are broken. Excessive gas, foul smelling gas and explosive gas are signs that the digestive system is over worked, and often congested with mucous and encrusted fecal matter. Treating your digestive system kindly with natural unprocessed foods will improve health and promote longevity.
 The following is a list of some of the most common causes of gas:

Constipation
Eating too fast or too slowly
Poor (inadequate) chewing: each bite should be liquified and mixed well with saliva before swallowing. This reduces much stress on the the system beyond the esophagus.
Over eating
Eating meals too close together or off schedule
Drinking liquids with meals. Liquids dilute stomach acid and digestive enzymes, slowing down digestion. Cold liquids consumed with saturated fats, found mostly in animal-based foods, causes the fat to become thicker, slowing digestion. Sips of a warm beverage would not cause these fats to harden.
Tension, most often from negative or painful emotions, noise or other distractions at meals. Watching violence on TV or having arguments during a meal may impair normal digestion.
Eating under-cooked grains or legumes
Poor food combining
Lactose intolerance
Eating foods that a person is sensitive to. You can be sensitive to many foods without actually having a true allergy. A 3 week elimination diet can help you to learn what foods your body is reacting to.
Reclining after meals.
Insufficient pancreatic enzymes.
Candida and other parasitic microorganisms
Imbalance of intestinal bacteria. There are >500 types of bacteria and other microbes in the human gut. They must be approximately 85% friendly for normal GI and immune system function.
Many medications taken for symptom control contribute to gas

Got Parasites?

A couple of years ago, I read a very interesting article that introduced me to an old folk remedy common to many older African Americans, as well as Caribbean islanders. It was written by an American doctor who had heard of the ingestion of small amounts of pure gum spirits of turpentine through some of her clients. No one could tell her what she wanted to know of this peculiar remedy from personal experience, so she used herself as a guinea pig and then wrote the article contained in the link below.
In the late '90s, I was treated for parasites by my chiropractor twice in a 5 year period when I was a dog owner. I drank Corsican seaweed tea which was most unpleasant, but my doctor felt the condition had improved as evidenced through muscle testing, also known as applied kinesiology. Fast forward to 2012 - I had spent 4 months on Maui, doing an organic farming internship. We were told not to drink unfiltered water there because of possible parasite contamination, and I gladly complied. Additionally, I took grapefruit seed extract almost daily to help prevent GI problems brought on by impure water. The water we used to bathe and to wash our produce wasn't filtered.
Previous muscle testing by that same chiropractor also indicated a leaky gut, essentially intestinal permeability, caused by a thinning of the lining of the intestines. I have learned through my own research on digestive health that leaky gut is quite common across America, and is quite possibly the common denominator in many disease processes. The intestinal lining is weakened through repeated ingestion of inflammatory foods, such as refined grains (cereal, pasta, bread) and sugar. Candida albicans, a common yeast which lives in all of us, thrives on these processed carbohydrates. Heavy consumption of these faux foods along with exposure to antibiotics allows Candida populations to grow out of control, forming large fungal colonies that burrow into the lining of the small intestine, causing the thinning of the walls and allowing toxins to be absorbed directly into the bloodstream. It can be very difficult to eliminate these yeast colonies, one reason being that we keep feeding them. They love sugar and get it from countless sources in the standard American diet. I tell my clients that they often crave processed foods because their unbalanced microbial populations are driving the cravings.
I decided to try the turpentine remedy suggested in the link below, thinking at the time that I could eliminate any Candida hold-outs - the yeast cells that hadn't succumbed to earlier attempts to uproot them. The remedy calls for taking up to 1 teaspoon of turpentine on a slightly rounded teaspoon of sugar. The sugar acts as bait - the microbes that thrive on sugar latch on and are poisoned by the turpentine. Simple enough - turpentine comes from pine trees and tasted okay; "just a teaspoon of sugar helps the medicine go down". I had a teaspoon of turpentine about 2 hours before bed for 4 nights in a row. The doctor's article stated that the bowel should move at least twice/day while using the turpentine so that whatever is killed off can be whisked out of the body quickly. To ensure this, I gave myself a 2 quart enema each morning following the turpentine dose. Four days went by and I felt nothing. No better, no worse, no symptoms at all. I called my dear friend who is a gifted healer and very psychically aware to tell her what I'd been doing. She said "I get that you should take the turpentine for 2 weeks". I thought, " you must be kidding" but she had never steered my wrong before and I decided to go for it. This is where being a colonic therapist comes in handy. I took the teaspoon each of sugar and turpentine nightly for the next 10 days, and every morning did a 2 quart enema to wash out the "casualties". Home enemas aren't as revealing as professional colonics, as one can't see most of what is expelled in a toilet. A colonic machine has a visualization tube, so after my 2 weeks of turpentine and daily enemas, I performed a colonic on myself. I was stunned to see what I thought were tiny white eggs in the waste water. After learning that parasite eggs are microscopic, I feel they must have been the actual parasites. I know that what I saw was not something I ate.
I felt good, although interestingly, not very different from my usual state of good health. Mostly, I was just happy to have eliminated parasites that were stealing my energy  and which could have created future problems, had I not been willing to experiment on myself with this very safe process. Please read the doctor's link in its entirety before being your own science experiment. I think it's vitally important that a person be in pretty good health with excellent bowel eliminations before proceeding with the suggestions in this informative link.

http://xa.yimg.com/kq/groups/11136827/2098715122/name/Turpentine-The_Candida_Cleaner


For those with gut Candida infections who would not feel comfortable eating sugared turpentine, rotating through several natural antimicrobials over several weeks, in addition to adding a strong probiotic daily can provide improved comfort and new balance for one's gut microbiome. Some effective antimicrobial agents are raw garlic with olive oil, grapefruit seed extract, berberine, essential oils like oregano, thyme, basil or rosemary and olive leaf extract. I would also suggest reading The Yeast Connection by 
Dr. William Crook, or researching Candida overgrowth on the internet.

In 2003, I read a book that changed what I thought I understood about healthy eating. Eat Right For Your Type, although published in 1996, is still unfamiliar to most of the clients I counsel.

Originally, naturopathic doctor, James D'Adamo, discovered that most foods react predictably upon digestion depending on a person's blood type. Now James’ son, Peter D'Adamo, also a naturopath, continues the food and blood type research within his busy Connecticut practice. Many people who have followed his recommendations as outlined in Eat Right For Your Type have experienced improvement and are grateful for the wisdom in the D'Adamo teachings. I am one of them. 

Initially, I was excited to learn that I'd made a very wise decision in choosing a mostly vegetarian diet in 1980. According to the research, I don't digest meat well because I am an “A” blood type. I had always liked meat as a child, and I never noticed that I had any challenges with it. To my surprise, however, once I'd been without it for about a month, I stopped missing it.

Despite this great revelation, I was not at all pleased with Peter D'Adamo’s other "restrictions". Many of the foods I'd eaten and enjoyed for years showed up on his list of foods that aren't “friendly” to me. I'd never noticed any significant health issues, and I was rarely ill. It wasn't until I became a colonic therapist, and I began paying closer attention to different foods' effects on me, that I realized many of the symptoms I considered minor nuisances, or "my normal", were often precursors to the occasional colds, headaches, and skin blemishes I would get. Yes, even at 40, I would get occasional pimples. In addition, the first several years I was doing massage therapy, I had arthritic pain in my finger joints. I have had none of these health issues since I have maintained a cleaner digestive tract through a whole-food, mostly plant diet, and an occasional colon irrigation.

Since 2007, I have spoken to many, many people who had adjusted their dietary practices to follow the D’Adamo research. Their success stories regarding overall improvement, along with what I have learned while providing colonic services convinced me of the truth regarding the validity of the D’Adamo research. Repeatedly, I've observed that clients with the “A” blood type who eat meat regularly, and clients with the “O” blood type who eat grain in its many forms several times weekly, experience worse cramping during colonic irrigation and report more digestive dysfunction, especially chronic constipation, excessive gas, and heartburn.

A very important aspect about the above issues is that most Americans, about 85% of which are either "A" or "O" blood types, have eaten meat and processed grains (cereal, bread, pasta, pastry) almost daily from a very young age. People represented by both of these blood types have challenges digesting dairy products as well. (Please forgive me, all of you "B" and "AB" blood types - you'll have to read the books for more information on your specific guidelines.) I encourage my clients to read Eat Right For Your Type for a deeper understanding of this information. 

The clients identify the foods on their "AVOID"' lists that are eaten more than once per week. I suggest that the clients take a break from these foods for a while. Three weeks without the offending foods is usually enough time to allow the body to reduce chronic inflammation associated with these food sensitivities. Therefore, when each food is reintroduced, one at a time, the system is likely to respond as it would have with the very first exposure to it. During this three week period, the client will frequently experience relief from some of his/her health issues.

The best nutritional science teaches that the vital raw materials required by our trillions of cells, are found in the colorful, alkaline-forming vegetables and fruits, not refined grains and animal products. Our bodies age faster when we deprive our cells of vital nourishment. We function at our very best when we make it easy for our systems to maintain a steady blood pH of 7.35-7.45; this can be done most efficiently through dietary enhancements with raw, organic vegetables and/or their juices. Kudos to both doctors D'Adamo, for helping readers to understand which foods are best avoided by all of us.

Are You Ready for Your First Colonic?

It's likely that there are as many different experiences of a first colonic as there are people receiving this valuable therapy. Many come away feeling lighter, cleaner, less tired and able to think more clearly. Some don't want to eat, believing the internal pollution will begin anew. Others experience relief from chronic discomfort in their backs and bellies, or in the pelvis.
Then there are clients who feel none of these benefits and endure crampiness and pressures that convince them their first colonic will be their last. I have come to believe that the more uncomfortable this gentle, internal bath is, the more inflammation and dysfunction there is in the colon.
The colon processes the end products of digestion and cellular debris, and stores waste continually through out our lives. It is (approximately)a five-foot-long, hollow muscular tube that contracts to propel its contents along. This action, peristalsis, proceeds with minimal resistance, provided there is adequate dietary fiber and water intake, and far fewer processed foods and animal products. Processed grains and animal-based foods promote greater mucous production, and have little to no fiber or water, thereby hindering peristalsis. When our diet is approximately 3/4 vegetables with some fruit, an alkaline-forming diet, the easier it is for our bodies to digest/assimilate nutrients and excrete the waste. The weakened and congested state of a colon burdened by non-eliminated waste and mucous can contribute to structural damage (lost muscle tone, diverticula), and loss of the organ's  normal anatomical position over time. Therefore, the longer a person eats the nutrient and fiber-poor standard American diet, the more likely that they will suffer from constipation and  the dysfunction created when there is less than one thorough, daily bowel evacuation. If regular use of laxatives is required for elimination, it is very likely that the colon has already lost much of its normal function, and it will take much more time to restore its integrity. This restoration, however, is key to  vibrant health.
If you are someone who has suffered with constipation for a year or longer, and especially if this has been your "normal" for many years or most of your life, I would suggest small volume (up to one quart)  warm water enemas , done at home, several times before investing $70-$100 for a professional colonic. If your diet has very few raw fruits and vegetables, I would encourage you to gradually consume more of these, while eliminating all or most of the breads, pasta, meats and cheeses. As the bowel becomes cleaner and stored gases are eliminated, the high fiber foods are more comfortable to digest. Depending on the state of your colon, healing could take several months and professional guidance. Remember to begin with "the End" in mind. If you want Life, eat foods that are ALIVE.

Do You Need a Break from America's Favorite Breakfast Foods?

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2013/09/29/dr-perlmutter-gluten.aspx?e_cid=20130929Z1_SNL_Art_1&utm_source=snl&utm_medium=email&utm_content=art1&utm_campaign=20130929Z1

Well, I've made it back to "posting mode" again after a lengthy break. I was inspired to share the link above from the archives of Dr Joseph Mercola. I have been reading Dr Mercola's daily articles for quite some time and my mom,. Lois Andersen was a big fan of his. The main thing I like about the website is that Dr Mercola is a firebrand - a true whistle-blower and researches many topics that interest me, as I endeavor to learn and share information that doesn't attempt to mislead the masses and to sell products. Of course, he does sell many products to keep his website free for anyone who wants to join and read his articles, but no one is required to purchase anything to receive his writings and benefit by his research.
The article in the link above is quite long but addresses a few different issues that are on  peoples' minds today including Alzheimer's disease,, diabetes and obesity. Gluten sensitivity in the USA population is much more prevalent than most of us would believe. (I believe it's even more common than mentioned in Mercola's article). Gluten is a protein found in wheat, rye, barley, and much of the oats grown in the US. When providing colon hydrotherapy to clients, I find that those who eat wheat products several times/week are much more likely to be full of gas, full of Candida, constipated, and also have other digestive complaints such as acid reflux. They are often struggling, in vain, to lose weight. I encourage everyone I meet to stop eating it, just for 3 weeks, to experience what a gluten-free belly and head can feel like. If you're like most Americans, you eat gluten several times/day. (Cereal, pasta, muffins, breads and pancakes, to name a few.) I once ate it all day, everyday, and believe that curing that addiction has allowed me to move away from the curse of diabetes. As mentioned in the article, wheat grown in the USA that isn't "organic",  is likely to be grown in nutrient-depleted soil with multiple chemical pesticides and fertilizers. We are not eating the same wheat that was available 60 years ago.
Everyone I speak with who has decided to give up gluten has said they cannot believe the wonderful changes they've experienced, from the disappearance of allergies and rashes, to the end of arthritis-type pain, and the ability to think more clearly, and sleep more restfully.
I would caution all of you that reaching for Gluten-free foods in the baking section of the grocery store isn't the answer. Corn, also mostly genetically altered in the USA, is a serious allergen in our food supply, and is often used in these wheat-alternative foods. Eating large quantities of any kind of starch daily is likely to allow  digestive/health problems to emerge, as all of these foods contribute to unhealthy blood sugar highs and lows. Your carbohydrates should be colorful and full of water, therefore alkaline-forming. The further we've moved from eating the vegetables available in backyard gardens since the 1950s, the worse our health has become.
I would welcome any input from personal experience regarding a 3 week abstention from gluten-containing foods. Take a chance and give it a try. The road to wellness is paved with good intestines.

Got Flax?

                                                                   GOT FLAX?

Flax seeds have gained a great deal of publicity in recent years and as with most super-foods,

enthusiastic “experts” share both useful and confusing information.

Flax is one of the oldest known cultivated plants. It was grown for its fiber, which was woven into linen, for its seeds, which provide flax oil, and its mucilage fiber, which can improve gastrointestinal function.

In the 8^th century, Emperor Charlemagne felt flax was so important that he passed laws requiring his subjects eat it daily.

Ancient East Indian scriptures say that a yogi must eat flax daily to reach the highest state of contentment and joy. Mahatma Gandhi said, “Wherever flax seed becomes a regular food item among the people, there will be better health.”

One of the most compelling reasons to eat flax seeds is their omega-3 essential fatty acid (EFA) content, one of the highest among vegetarian sources. EFAs are “essential” because they are required nutrients that our bodies cannot create from other nutrients – we must eat them. The standard American diet many of us eat is seriously deficient in Omega 3 EFAs, while Omega 6 and 9 EFAs are over-represented. The optimum ratio of Omega 6 to Omega 3 is <4:1. The typical American consumer usually eats these nutrients at a ratio >15:1. Most plant oils, seeds, nuts, poultry, and eggs contain significant amounts of Omega 6 EFA. The EFAs obtained from organic cold pressed oils and raw nuts are far superior to the oils and roasted/salted nuts most people buy in their local supermarket. Many cheaper oils like corn, soy, and vegetable oils come from genetically engineered crops.

                                                            Benefits of Flax Seeds

High quality, easily digestible protein that contains all essential amino acids

High in fiber /the best natural laxative

a. Sweeps the colon

b. Softens the stool and maintains regularity

c. 12% mucilage fiber

d. water soluble

e. Protects intestinal mucous membranes

f. Helps feed and maintain friendly intestinal bacteria

g. Can help stabilize blood sugar

h Contains all minerals, vitamins B-1, B-2, C and E as well as carotene

i. High in lignans, (anti-fungal, anti-cancer)

j. Lowers blood cholesterol by preventing re-absorption of bile acids from the intestines

Advertisers would have us believe that flax seeds added to processed foods like cereal, breads, and tortilla chips are a good thing. Some Omega 3 EFAs are destroyed by heat, so to get the full benefit, the flax seeds must be raw. The seeds have a very tough exterior so they must be soaked for several hours or ground. Once ground, the Omega 3 EFAs oxidize rapidly so buying the seeds in the ground state will still provide some nutrients and fiber, but the Omega 3 EFA content is diminished or lost. An electric coffee mill is a wonderful tool for grinding your own raw seeds in less than 10 seconds.. Individuals respond differently to adding flax seeds, depending on their current level of intestinal health. 1-3 Tbsp of ground seeds daily can help improve bowel function when there is adequate water intake. Chronic constipation weakens the intestinal system. A  poor response to flax in the diet may indicate inadequate water intake or that colon irrigation may be necessary to begin restoration of normal intestinal  tone, and a gradual removal of mucoid plaque and retained waste. 
Flax seed oil is a terrific source of Omega 3 EFAs and has been well-researched by Dr. Johanna Budwig, who has used the oil to help many people dealing with cancer. The oil doesn't contain protein or fiber.