HERBALCONSULTS

The Signs of Good Digestion and Elimination
By: Dr. James Moore, DOM

At minimum, one should have one good bowel movement per day, but two to three are acceptable (this depends in part on you metabolism). A 'good' bowel movement is one that is walnut (medium) brown in color, with a consistency thicker than toothpaste (slightly soft, yet formed, round and firm), and about the length of a banana (1-1.5” dia.). The stool should be free of odor, leave the body easily, settle in the toilet water and gently submerge. The transit time for food - the elapsed time it takes for a meal to enter the mouth and then exit the rectum -should ideally be less than 24 hours. Transit time is related to exercise and the consumption of fiber and water.

The Causes of Impaired Digestion

Stress, broadly defined as anything that causes an extra load on the body, can be viewed as the cause of digestive dysfunction. Digestive stress comes in many forms, which may include:
Emotional or physical stress, Poor diet, Medications, Environmental toxins, and "Over-consumption of processed food.
If stress from any of these sources continues for an extended period of time, the result is a burdened digestive system and stressed supporting organs (such as liver and pancreas). The end result is altered function or structure of the body’s organ systems which develops into:
Deficiency of HCI (needed to break down proteins and protect from harmful microorganisms), Pancreatic insufficiency (reduced enzyme and bicarbonate secretion), a precursor to more serious disease, Imbalanced intestinal pH, which prevents proper digestion of foods due to excessive acidity or alkalinity of digestive juices, Food sensitivities and allergies, which can be both the cause and the result of poor digestion. All of these stressors impair the digestive process, which leads to intestinal toxemia, Candida and parasites, an imbalance of gut flora, leaky gut and chronic disease.

Impaired digestion leads to intestinal toxemia, where bacteria act upon undigested food in the gut, producing endotoxins. This can lead to an overgrowth of putrefactive bacteria and/or candida yeast, or other parasites. An overgrowth of these pathogens can cause irritation of the intestinal tract, tissue damage and impaired circulation – any of which can lead to gastrointestinal irritation. The intestinal wall cannot renew itself without sufficient beneficial flora to ferment dietary fiber into short chain fatty acids. Leaky gut syndrome occurs when the mucus lining of the intestinal tract becomes porous and irritated. As time passes, the breakdown in the intestinal mucosa can result in the passage of undigested food particles, toxins, parasites and candida by-products into the bloodstream. This can lead to a weakened immune system, digestive disorders and, eventually, chronic disease.


The Healing Process
The healing process begins by identifying and managing stress in our lives and taking responsibility for finding healthy solutions. Developing time management skills and exercising regularly can do much to reduce stress levels.

The second step toward vibrant health is to enhance digestion. Digestive stress can be avoided by increasing intake of raw foods and through use of supplemental enzyme formulas with meals. Thorough chewing and eating in a relaxed environment are of utmost importance to digestion.

When you start a detox (cleansing program), especially if it is your first time, it is important to keep it simple. It is also important to do cleansing twice each year – I like the spring and fall. It is always best to seek the services of a natural health care practitioner – especially if you have health problems. It is best to start with a basic cleaning of the digestive system and to support the organs of elimination before moving on to more advanced cleanses, like candida, parasites, heavy metals, or liver detoxification. A basic 30 day cleanse would look like this:

-Maintain a clean healthy diet that excludes refined carbohydrates, fried foods, and most dairy and INCLUDES: lots of fresh organic vegetables and fruits, small amounts of organic poultry or fish (3-6 ounces per day), breads should be only sprouted whole grain like “ezekial” brand.

-A balanced herbal support formula, created by a certified herbalist.

-Purified water with minerals (8-10 12 oz glasses daily), avoid coffee, soda, and alcohol.

-Fresh juice (16-24 oz daily).

-Chew well, only use olive oil, avoid anything artificial, processed or refined (this is harder than it sounds!)

-Also at this time add to the diet: essential fatty acids like evening primrose or fish oils (approx. 1500-2000mg/day), a balanced fiber supplement at bed time, a vitamin/mineral supplement with meals, “superfoods” that are algae/cereal grass based like “pure synergy”, and digestive enzymes (for some with HCL) at the start of meals.

-Deep tissue body work (weekly), skin brushing (amount depends on intensity).

-Take hot therapeutic baths, stems, and/or saunas a couple times each week.

-Possibly visit a colon hydrotherapist.

-Exercise for 30 minutes 4-6 days per week (aerobic or yoga).

-No microwaves, don’t over eat!