Hot Flashes and Night Sweats!

Hot Flashes and Night Sweats!  By Pamela Van Camp, 3/11/13

What are they?

"A hot flash is a sudden, intense feeling of heat in the face and upper body, often accompanied by an increased heart rate, sweating, dizziness, headache, weakness, or anxiety.  Hot flashes are generally associated with the symptoms of menopause and premenopause." ~Connie & Alan Higley, in "Reference Guide for Essential Oils."  They can last only a few seconds or off and on for hours.  Hot flashes may last for 2 - 4 years after menstruation ends.

A night sweat is a hot flash that happens during the night. Although night sweats are often just a menopausal symptom, keep in mind that they could also be due to a more serious illness. 

Who gets them?

 

About 75-80% of women in western cultures, at various stages of menopause, experience hot flashes to some extent.  Incidences of hot flashes are much less common in non-western cultures, such as in Japan, Hong Kong, and Pakistan. (Could this be due to the S.A.D.--Standard American Diet? I'd say yes!)  

What are they caused from?

Hot flashes and night sweats are thought to be caused from the body producing less estrogen and progesterone, due to menopause.  This confuses the hypothalamus in the brain, which sends conflicting signals to the blood vessels to expand and contract, resulting in sudden bursts of  increased and decreased circulation.  Increased circulation causes heat.

Additionally, it is thought, and I agree, that the increased temperature might be the body's natural defense mechanism to kill off cancer cells and viruses, and to release toxins that might be trying to cause dis-ease.  

What are triggers for hot flashes and night sweats?

Triggers for hot flashes and nights sweats can include spicy food, hot drinks, alcoholic beverages, caffeine, white sugar, table salt, stress, hot weather, hot tubs and saunas, tobacco and marijuana and anger, especially when unexpressed.

What can be done to alleviate them?   

Of course it is obvious to stay away from the triggers that cause them.  For me, getting my digestion under control, by avoiding dairy, gluten, and the above food triggers, as well as combining my food correctly, was what it took to almost completely eliminate them.

HRT (Hormonal Replacement Therapy) is known to cause disruption to the endocrine system, cancer risk, weight gain, heavy bleeding, PMS-like pain, severe leg cramps, migraine headaches, uterine and breast fibroids, and low libido.  I'd say HRT is not something I will ever use.  

Natural treatments can support the endocrine system, which is the system of organs that produce and regulate hormones. However, listen to the body while using them.  It might be a good idea to work with someone who is familiar with the natural remedies you choose to use.  That person can help decide how much of what to use.

Some suggestions that may help alleviate hot flashes are:

·       Ginseng:  Normalizes the body's response to hot and cold.

·       Sage:  Grounding herb.  Can be taken as a tea.

·       Vitamin E:  "D-alpha tocopherol" means that it comes from a natural source, but "DL alpha" means it is a synthetic form of the vitamin.

·       Black Cohosh:  Highly effective in relieving hot flashes in women.

·       Don Quai:  Used to treat almost ever female gynecological ailment. Known as a blood purifier.

·       Evening primrose:  Cleanses the liver and kidneys. Is useful for treating inflammation associated with yang (heat related) conditions of the body. Also promotes restful sleep.

(All of the above herbs can be found in a local health food store of your choice.)

Other thoughts and ideas on hot flashes:

·       Regular exercise increases endorphins, which are lowered during a hot flashes.

·       Hot flashes rob the body of vitamin C, the B vitamins, magnesium, and potassium. 

·       Drink enough fresh, pure water--around a quart a day is a recommendation.  (Lemon is cooling to the body, so adding a squeeze of lemon wedge or drop of lemon essential oil to the water might help too.)

·       Essential oils thought to help with hot flashes and night sweats include peppermint, clary sage, bergamot, and fennel.

It is my thought that night sweats are a way for the body to rid itself of harmful toxins that may be increased during the different stages of menopause.  Menopause is a time when the body is changing rapidly and it may have extra waste to get rid of due to all of the hormonal changes. Menopause is also a time when many women experience digestive problems, another reason why sweating might be needed to release waste and other toxins.  

I hope this helps you! 

References used:

http://www.power-surge.com/headlines/hotflash.htm

Great Taste No Pain, by Sherry Brescia

Reference Guide for Essential Oils, by Connie and Alan Higley

Linda Page's Healthy Healing book

The Way of Herbs, by Michael Tierra

Rosemary Gladstar's Herbal Recipes for Vibrant Health

Please visit our Facebook page, where we discuss digestion, weight loss, and prevention of disease:  www.Facebook.com/EssentiallyComplete

Anxiety and Panic Attacks: What they are and natural ways to deal with them.

Question: 

I have anxiety attacks a lot. I almost call an ambulance. Are there any foods that I can eat or vitamins I could take? I'm so close to taking pills.

Answer:  

I have done some research and have found options that you might consider to combat anxiety attacks.  First I'll explain what anxiety attacks are, what they are caused from, and finally what to do about it.  There is definitely relief available without the use of drugs.

Anxiety, or panic, attacks are the response of your body due to fear.  This fear can be brought on by anything from being chased by a grizzly bear, anxiety from a speech you have to give, too much to do in too little time, or fear from not knowing how you are going to pay the rent or other bills this month. That feeling of fear sends an emergency message to your adrenal glands, two pea-sized organs that sit above your kidneys, to release adrenaline, the fight or flight hormone.  Once the adrenaline is released, it sets up the body to be prepared to either fight or flee.  Your heart starts pumping extra blood into your major muscles in your arms and legs, and into your brain.  This gives you the extra strength and speed to deal with the impending emergency.  Until the adrenal glands are notified that the danger is gone and that they can stop releasing adrenaline, they will keep it up. 

 

Some say there are no warning signs, but often periods of stress, insomnia, and poor eating habits precede panic attacks.  Other things that could trigger an attack are long term financial insecurity, relationship or job difficulties, food allergies, nutritional deficiencies, or even noise.  You can stop this, and probably even prevent future attacks with nutrition, aromatherapy, regular exercise, deep breathing, a simple four-step relaxation technique, counseling, and even hypnotherapy. 

Nutrition:

Vitamins and minerals that may help include:

·       Calcium, which helps with stress.  Foods rich in calcium include sesame seeds, almonds, dairy, and leafy greens.

·       Magnesium, which protects nerves.  Foods rich in magnesium include sea greens, wheat germ, bran, and most nuts.

·       B vitamins, which support the adrenals and fuel the nerves.  Foods rich in B vitamins include nutritional yeast, whole grains, bran, nuts, and beans.

·       Vitamin C, which helps to control stress response.  Foods rich in vitamin C include peppers, greens, broccoli, and kiwi.

Things that may be adding to the problem include:

·       Loud noises, which can bring on stressful feelings.

·       Stimulants, such as nicotine or caffeine, which can overwork the adrenals.

·       Prescription antidepressants, like Prozac, which have side effects and change body chemistry.

·       Food allergies, which can cause emotional as well as physical upset.

Aromatherapy:

Herbs or essential oils that help relieve stress and help calm the body include lavender, chamomile, ylang ylang, bergamot, frankincense, marjoram, myrrh, rosemary, sandalwood, spruce, thyme, and wintergreen.   As a preventive measure or during an attack, you can diffuse them; breathe them in right from the bottle, add them to your bath water; or apply them to the back of your neck, temples, or bottoms of your feet.  (Check the directions on the bottle to see if they should be diluted before applying to the skin.)  Find these essential oils and more at: https://www.youngliving.org/pamvancamp.

Exercise:

Regular exercise, on a daily basis, reduces symptoms of stress, and may prevent anxiety attacks.

Deep Breathing:

Deep breathing is a natural tranquilizer.  Also, if you think about it, lack of oxygen throughout your body might be enough for your brain to set off an alarm of emergency to your adrenals.  Breathe! 

4 Step Relaxation Technique:

1.     RELAX:  Take slow, deep, complete breaths. Remind yourself that you are only having a panic attack and that you are not really in danger.  This will help to stop releasing adrenalin.

2.     STOP NEGATIVE THINKING:  Inside your head --not out loud, unless you are alone--shout the word, STOP!!! as loud as you can to yourself.  This interrupts the negative loop of devastating thoughts that are most likely cycling through your mind over and over.  Next you will transplant the stressful thoughts with calming thoughts.

3.     TALK NICE TO YOURSELF:  Have statements all planned out and written down, on a card that you keep in your wallet and/or on your night stand, that you will tell yourself.  If you are afraid you are having a heart attack, tell yourself something like, "My heart is fine. It is just my adrenalin that is causing my heart to pump so hard."  If your fear is about financial problems, your self-talk may be, "I know I can figure it out.  I've handled this problem before."  Something I like to tell myself is, "This too shall pass."  Think about it.  Every problem you have ever had is IN THE PAST, and soon this one will be too. 

4.     ACCEPT YOUR FEELINGS:  Recognize that your fear is real and you have a good reason to feel this fear.  Don't tell yourself you are crazy, and that you are stupid to be so afraid of nothing.  Give yourself permission to feel the fear, but remind yourself that you are really not in danger.  Identify the reason for your fear, or other emotions, that you are feeling during the attack.  It could be because you are worried about money, problems in a relationship, fear of dying, or even a recurring fear of suffocating or falling that overtakes your thoughts.  These feelings are very real, and should be validated.  If you are worried for your health, have a check-up to make sure everything is okay.

  

Counseling:

I have a friend whose mother had breast cancer, and my friend started having serious panic attacks, that affected her daily functioning, at about the time she found out about her mother's condition.  Months later, she saw a counselor who helped her to pinpoint her fear.  She was afraid of getting breast cancer herself!  Once she identified it, she was able to deal with the fear and the panic attacks ended, with the help of therapy and nutrition counseling.  Happily, her mother is alive and well today.

Hypnotherapy:

Hypnotherapists claim that this type of therapy can change your thinking process and may help end the panic attacks for good. 

I hope these ideas help you.  Just know that you aren't alone.  If you have any other questions, please let me know.  To your health!  Join us at www.Facebook.com/EssentiallyComplete for more interesting tips for natural health.  (Like the page while you are there!)  

Resources:

http://www.nlppati.com/articles/end-panic-attacks.shtml

Rosemary Gladstar's Herbal Recipes

Linda Page's Healthy Healing Guide

Reference Guide for Essential Oils, by Connie and Alan Higley    

Multiple Sclerosis - Natural Treatments

Multiple sclerosis is a chronic, autoimmune, inflammatory disease, affecting the brain and spinal cord, in which the body attacks and destroys the myelin sheath, a fatty tissue that wraps around nerves. (The myelin sheath actually resembles viruses such as the herpes virus, which could explain the confusion of the immune system.) This causes scar tissue and lesions (sclerosis) interfering with the brain's ability to communicate with the rest of the body. Symptoms include loss of balance and coordination, numbness, tingling, fatigue, loss of vision, eyeball pain, burning, pain in body parts, and memory problems. Advanced stages have onset of paralysis or partial paralysis, resulting in difficulty breathing, slurred speech, a staggering gait, tremors, dizziness, and bladder or bowel problems.

Drugs that are often prescribed have very harsh side effects, are not effective, and do not address the root causes.  Root causes:

·       Research links low essential fatty acids to the myelin sheath degeneration.  (Coincidentally, myelin is naturally high in essential fatty acids.)  

·       Vitamin D deficiency is also a link.  There are significantly fewer cases in those who live closer to the equator, which also confirms the vitamin D link. 

·       Nutritional deficiencies and digestive disorders (such as leaky gut) are also known factors related to MS.  These are likely due to sensitivities to foods such as gluten, soy, peanuts, and pasteurized dairy.  Food sensitivities cause digestive problems so that the food can't be digested and absorbed correctly into the body.  

Natural treatments are not immediate relief (and are expected to take up to 6 months), but lifestyle changes are very effective in allowing the person to remain in remission indefinitely.  Natural treatments and lifestyle change suggestions include:

·       Address vitamin D deficiency with regular sun exposure (without sunscreen), exposure to safe tanning beds (infra red), or supplement with vitamin D-3. You can have your vitamin D levels tested by your health care provider.

·       Eliminate processed foods, sugar, and bad fats such as soy oil, canola oil, corn oil, peanut oil, and all other trans fats.  Especially stay away from artificial sweeteners such as aspartame, which is known to cause MS, brain damage, and other problems.

·       Avoid mercury.

·       Get enough good fats, which include salmon, flax seed, chia, coconut oil, and olive oil.

·       Eat raw food as much as possible.

·        Address food sensitivities, and avoid culprit foods such as gluten, soy, peanuts, and pasteurized dairy.

Please realize that this article is only meant for informational purposes and is not meant to diagnose or treat an illness.  Licensed healthcare providers are the only ones who can legally diagnose or treat an illness.

Sources:
Linda Page's Healthy Healing handbook
Great Taste No Gluten Manuals, by Sherry Brescia
Reference Guide for Essential Oils, by Connie & Alan Higley
Mercola.com
NaturalNews.com

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TABLE SALT & SEA SALT -- WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE?

Table Salt & Sea Salt -- What's the difference?   A LOT!

            Table salt and sea salt both started out as the same thing, because all salt is derived from nature.  Some salt labels boast of being sea salt and they aren't lying per se, but you can tell they have been processed and refined because of their snowy white color.  Unrefined sea salt is actually a grey color (Celtic) or a pink color (Himalayan). The natural, unrefined state of salt is very healthy, beneficial, and necessary by every cell in the body to sustain quality life. However, table salt is refined and heated at temperatures as high as 1200 degrees Fahrenheit when processed, which kills all of the nutritional value, and by doing so creates a higher concentration of sodium chloride.  Sea salt is 86% sodium chloride, and 14% of other essential minerals, such as naturally occurring iodine, magnesium, and potassium.  In fact, Himalayan sea salt has 84 essential minerals, which are coincidentally the exact same minerals naturally found in the healthy human body!  Table salt is 97.5% sodium chloride.  The other 2.5% of table salt is made up of additives such as anti-caking and flowing agents with names such as aluminum hydroxide--and we all recognize aluminum as a poison to our bodies.  Although sea salt has less sodium chloride, it is known to have more flavor and people often use less of it to "salt to taste" than they would when using table salt.

           

            Okay, enough of the mumbo jumbo.  What do these salts do to the body?  That's the difference that counts!   Table salt is actually so processed and refined that it can be considered energetically dead, and the body doesn't even recognize it as nourishment.  In fact table salt is treated as a toxic invader, and the body accumulates water in and around all the cells to protect them.  This results in the salt not being able to be utilized by the body.  Sea salt, on the other hand is recognized as the energetically alive essential nutrient that it is.  The essential minerals in unprocessed sea salt can be readily absorbed and utilized by the body.  It helps the body to distribute bodily fluids evenly within the body, rather than pooling around cells to protect them.   

            When a body is deficient in sodium,  bad things happens such as sunken eyes, wrinkly skin, fatigue, hypertension (yes, from sodium deficiency!), headaches, and confusion.  Please be wary of low salt diets.  Low table salt yes (and low processed food which is a big source of energetically dead table salt), but not a low sea salt diet!  

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Thanks!

Sources:

http://nutrition2success.com/salt.php

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2011/09/20/salt-myth.aspx

http://www.naturalnews.com/026938_salt_health_body.html    

Review of Great Taste No Pain

REVIEW OF GREAT TASTE NO PAIN

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 Quick Description
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With more than 1 out of 3 adults in the US (70 million) taking OTC or prescription pills for digestive disorders and the pain associated with them, as a nation, we have serious health problems. And we're spreading our problems around the world.

What most people are frustrated with is that even if they eat how most health professionals consider to be healthy, a large percentage of people STILL experience digestive problems. And so most people resort to drugs, surgery or eating bland foods. Or they just continue to suffer.

That's why the Great Taste No Pain System was developed -- to help slash some of the $42 billion dollars spent on those pills in the US alone.

This simple eating system is designed to dramatically reduce the acid pH measure in a person's entire body -- not just in the stomach. It does so by increasing the ratio of alkaline forming foods eaten and by showing you how to combine foods in a way that radically decreases the amount of acid digestive juices in the stomach and small intestines required to break down foods. With me so far? Hope so, because this is important stuff.

One of the primary components of the Great Taste No Pain System is the science of food combining, which was first introduced into the US in 1911 by Dr. William Hay, a New York surgeon who used it to cure his Bright's Disease, a kidney disease which was often fatal at that time. In fact, among the many thousands of lives it claimed was Teddy Roosevelt's first wife, who died of Bright's Disease at just 22 years of age.

A basic knowledge of Junior High chemistry is all it takes to see the logic behind this science: Mixing foods that require alkaline digestive enzymes with foods that require acid digestive enzymes slows and can even stop the digestive process. It can and does delay digestion by as much as 10 hours and more. This is incredibly bad for the body. The Great Taste No Pain system alleviates this problem, speeding food through your body, allowing it to absorb nutrients from foods at a much higher level.

In addition, one of the manuals in the Great Taste No Pain system, 'Foods That Create Acid, Foods That Take It Away,' is as clear as I've ever seen this data presented. Follow this simple guide and your body will use a minimum of energy in the digestion process, which leaves more energy for healing and other daily functions your body carries out.

This is a timely set of guides, because with our society's addiction to the convenience of processed foods, in many respects our health challenges are far worse than they were in 1911.

Great Taste No Pain author, Sherry Brescia, was a former Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) sufferer herself. In fact, in 1991, she spent 7 days in the hospital with bacterial colitis.

As a health insurance researcher and Chief Underwriter, she was able to research the benefits of an alkaline- balanced body and over the next 15 years perfected the system she now calls Great Taste No Pain.

She meshed a number of philosophies proven to help alkalize the body to create this simple system that anyone can follow regardless of where they are or what food choices they have available to them.

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What I Like:
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Taste: Unlike most restrictive diets, Great Taste No Pain cannot actually be called a diet, because it allows you to eat even great volumes of luscious, delicious food as long as you combine it according to a few simple guidelines. It truly requires very little willpower. Perhaps the greatest news for people who love to eat is that the 176 page recipe book in the system is stuffed with breakfasts, lunches, dinners and snacks that are unbelievably tasty. No rabbit food. Gourmet all the way, yet the meals (if you like to cook) only take between 15 and 30 minutes of prep time and make tons of yummy leftovers. So you can throw away the belief that you can't eat healthy on a super-busy schedule.

Speed: I love that you don't have to read 300+ pages before learning what to do. In the first guide, 'How To End Stomach Pain Forever, Even If Your MD says, "No Way,"' it provides a brief background on the science and then quickly moves onto the step-by-step 'how to.' I really love that.

Simplicity: The second Guide in the GTNP System is 'What To Eat With What.' This is a massive compilation. Every kind of food that you could possibly put in your mouth is listed, along with the corresponding foods that combine with it for easy comfortable digestion, and those foods that don't. This guide is so complete and so easy to follow, if you screw this up, it's back to pre-school for you.

More Simplicity: Traveling is the one thing that can ruin even the healthiest eaters. But in Great Taste No Pain, Sherry gives you a 'Pocket Guide For Pain-Free Dining Out.' This tool is phenomenal. You can store this little baby with your credit cards and, until you understand what combines with what, all you have to do is pull out your pocket guide and quickly note the rule, so you can eat and
enjoy the rest of your day, pain-free.

Would you believe that you could eat McDonald's food and not suffer gassiness and reflux? Now you can! (I wouldn't recommend it though.)

Meat: While meat is not something people with digestive issues usually tolerate well on a daily basis (hence the daily pain), the problem isn't so much the meat as it is what you eat with the meat.

That is why each of the Guides in the system, including the recipe book, lists every possible food you can combine with meats without suffering. Most people will suddenly be able to eat beef, chicken, fish, pork, turkey, venison and any other type of meat they want. As long as you combine it right... no pain at all! And broccoli, lettuce, cucumbers and other veggies that can create havoc suddenly will not. That I love.

Fruit: Ask anyone that suffers stomach problems about fruit and you'll hear horror stories. So sadly, the most perfect food on the planet is shunned by a huge part of our world's population. No longer. Because you will soon learn why fruit causes you trouble and how to easily change that. You CAN eat fruit again, even if it now makes you turn blue! It's true!

While each Guide in the system is detailed and complete, they are "dumbed down" in the clearest language possible. So I don't doubt Sherry's claim that any 11 year old could teach it. This I really love.

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Things To Watch For:
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The one thing you want to be careful of is that once you start eating as prescribed in Great Taste No Pain, you could quickly begin to feel all powerful. You might start to think you are "cured" of your digestive problems since they went away so fast and since you have so much extra energy.

That would be a mistake.

Because technically there is no "cure" for most digestive problem, because technically they are not diseases at all. They are maladies brought on by eating the wrong foods and by eating them in the wrong combinations. So the principles in Great Taste No Pain is not a "cure," since people with sensitive stomachs will always be sensitive. GTNP is merely a way to make all symptoms go away forever and give you a lot more energy.

For example, let's say you've got it bad and have Diverticulitis or Crohn's. Great Taste No Pain can help you get rid of your symptoms very quickly.

But a year later, if you start eating like you used to, guess what? Yep, the symptoms will come back. You see, the principles that Great Taste No Pain is based on are sound. They work for everyone. But if you think that because you've been symptom-free for a long time, you've been "cured," think again. Go against these principles of easy digestion, and the problem can come back with a vengeance. Remember, good health comes from living a healthy lifestyle, not a"do it once and you're fixed" approach.

Another thing you might want to be prepared for is that since Great Taste No Pain cleanses your digestive tract, initially you could get a little diarrhea. If you experience constipation on a fairly regular basis, you might get a little "looseness" at first, but it will end soon.

Also, due to the detoxing going on, you might get a runny nose or get some other cold-like symptoms at first. It's nothing to worry about. If you do, while it might not be fun, it does mean it's working. It means your body is becoming purer and the toxins are leaving. And that is a very good thing.

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Conclusion:
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When I began following the system, I personally was amazed at the amount of energy I had, even late into the evening. I had no discomfort, no bloating, I didn't feel the need to eat again within an hour and no need for caffeine after meals.

Professionally and personally, my strong recommendation is that for anyone who wants more energy, sounder and longer sleep, migraine headaches to stop almost immediately, pain from gastritis and acid reflux to stop almost instantly, and the pain of digestive problems to stop or be reduced dramatically, get over to the Great Taste No Pain Official Site:
- http://www.greattastenopain.com/cmdt.asp?id=1504561&t=374931

now and get the whole system. You will be thrilled!

Happily, it won't take a full day for most people to feel a major difference in their bodies. Often it just takes one meal. After you have been following it for a week or more, feel free to let me know how you like it. I personally believe that anyone who adopts this simple, enjoyable food combining method will reap gigantic health benefits. So if that is what you are looking for, get over
to - http://www.greattastenopain.com/cmdt.asp?id=1504561&t=374931
and get started today.

I wish you the best!

Pamela Van Camp, Founder
Essentially Complete


                   

Digestion: Problems & Natural Treatment Options

Digestion issues seem to be a recurring problem for a lot of people these days.  I have written the following article to discuss this widespread problem and offer solutions.  I hope it helps!

“Digestion:  The mechanical, chemical, and enzymatic process whereby ingested food is converted into material suitable for assimilation for synthesis of tissues or liberation of energy.” (From Natural Standard dictionary)

 

What does this mean in layman’s terms?  Digestion is simply the process of how the food you eat is broken down by enzymes and acids in your saliva and other bodily fluids from the time it enters through your lips until it is eliminated in various ways, so that your body can absorb the vitamins and other nutrients in the food.

What happens when the digestion tract isn’t working properly?  The digestive system is directly related to the immune system. Your body has the unique ability to warn you that the digestion process isn’t working optimally by creating symptoms.  In many cases, these symptoms have been given medical disease names such as Flatulence, Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Colic, Pancreatitis, Heartburn, Reflux Disease, Lactose Intolerance, Heartburn, Constipation, Diarrhea, Migraine, Gastric Erosion, Mal-absorption, Bowel Distention, Celiac Disease, Food Allergies, and the list goes on and on. 

What can be done to rid your body of these symptoms?  There are ways to temporarily suppress these warning symptoms.  For example, you can take pharmaceutical drugs or even certain supplements or herbs.  However, once the temporary “fix” has worn off, it is only a matter of time before the symptoms reappear.  If these symptoms are allowed to simmer in your body without the underlying problem (an unhealthy digestive tract) being addressed, more chronic—sometimes debilitating or even fatal—health indications can manifest, including Obesity, Diabetes, Fibromyalgia, Arthritis, Ulcers, Heart Disease, Depression, and even Cancer.  These can also materialize with no warning symptoms.  (Other factors may contribute to these disorders, but the sole focus of this article is digestion education, so we are using that perspective here.)

                      

What causes an unhealthy digestive tract?  In our fast-paced world and certainly with our western diet of chemical-laced, processed, and “fast” food, it’s no wonder that 40% of Americans suffer from indigestion.  There are many lifestyle factors that can contribute to an unhealthy digestive tract, ranging from improper diet or eating habits, stress, undesirable sleep patterns, dehydration, sedentary lifestyle (lack of body movement—exercise) or a combination of these or other factors.  If needed, you can evaluate your individual lifestyle habits with your health care professional. 

      

What can be done to keep the digestive tract healthy?  Most importantly, we need to feed it healthy food, prepared and eaten in a healthy way, which can be confusing, since there are so many different opinions of what “healthy” is.   (Please be aware that a food advertisement, whether on television, radio, magazine, news publication, the World Wide Web, endorsement, or anywhere else, is just that—an advertisement.  The sole purpose of an advertisement is to sell the product.  The advertisement experts are paid well to use psychological strategies to lead you to believe the product is beneficial to you, even if that could be the farthest from the truth.)  

As stated by Rosemary Gladstar, author of Herbal Recipes for vibrant health, “It is not always necessary or even beneficial to follow strict dietary disciplines.  Rather, follow the laws of healthy eating:  Eat [organic] food as close to nature as possible, eat what’s in season, prepare it simply, chew slowly, and give thanks.”  With this in mind, a suggested diet to promote healthy digestion, provided by Michael Tierra in his book, The Way of Herbs, consists of:

·       Whole grains (not refined or milled, nor flour products).  20-30% of the diet.

·       Protein (including lean animal protein, tofu, tempeh, and beans--not red meat, which is below).  20-30% of the diet.   

·       Fresh seasonal vegetables (raw or lightly cooked).  30-40% of the diet.

·       Dairy, eggs, and fruits (also red meat).  5-10% of the diet.  

·       Fats and oils (including olive, sesame oils, and ghee).  2% of the diet.
  

To expand on this, it is advisable to eat organic or locally grown food.  One reason for this, in addition to consuming unsafe chemicals, is that big food companies and grocery store chains are known to irradiate non-organic food.  Irradiation is a process much like microwaving, which kills beneficial bacteria, phytonutrients, and enzymes that are necessary for healthy digestion of the food.   Additionally, raw milk may be preferable to pasteurized, since the pasteurization process kills beneficial nutrients including lactase, the enzyme that helps to digest the milk sugar, lactose, thus possibly contributing to lactose intolerance symptoms.

Protein is very important for the digestion process.  Tierra stresses that it is needed “to repair damaged tissues and cells as they naturally break down”, and “to stimulate and maintain bodily metabolism,” which helps to stimulate organ activity.  

Also, quality unsaturated fats and oils are beneficial in the burning of stored fat, and have been found to aid in the absorption of vitamins A, D, E, and K.  Tierra writes,“Even the American Heart Association recommends getting between 15 to 30 percent of our calories from that wonderful substance that makes food so delicious.”  

What else can be done to help the body digest and absorb the nourishment in the food that is eaten?  Oh, there is a lot!  Here are a few things that have been proven to help:

·       One could eat a raw-or-close-to-raw variety of food and/or supplement with vitamins.  Food loses its vitamin and nutrient potency the more it is processed or cooked, especially when cooked in the microwave.  Vitamins are essential to life itself.  Vitamin deficiencies cause harm to your entire body, creating havoc to your immune system—most of which is in your digestive tract.  

·       One could supplement with beneficial enzymes such as acidophilus culture complex, including lactobacillus, bulgaricus, and bifida bacterium, which maintains a healthy intestinal environment.  

·       One could eat food that has been seasoned with traditional kitchen spices.  You can also make a tea with these herbs, or take them in capsule form.  Almost all kitchen spices aid in digestion.  The long list includes names you might recognize like:  Basil, Black Pepper, Cayenne, Cinnamon, Cloves, Cumin, Garlic, Ginger, Marjoram, Oregano, Mustard Seed, Nutmeg, Rosemary, Sage, Thyme, and Turmeric.

·       One could get enough sleep.  This can be a challenge, and many books have been written on this subject alone.  Seven to eight hours of sleep per night is recommended for an average adult.  

·       One could get enough exercise.  Any kind of exercise will do:  walking, jogging, aerobics, yoga, swimming, sports, weight bearing, etc.  Lack of exercise leads to oxygen-deficient cells in our bodies, which can affect our digestive tract, along with causing many other ailments.  Doing anything that makes you breath deeply can help fill those cells with the oxygen they crave! 

·       One could say no to unnecessary activities.  Almost everyone has had digestive upset due to a stressfully over-booked calendar or lack of relaxation in their life, such as “butterflies”, diarrhea, or constipation.  A body needs down time to do its important internal work.   

·       One could drink enough water.  This is another subject that would need a book to cover it completely.  Just adequately hydrating your body can prevent or alleviate so many aches, pains and ailments.  It is recommended to drink at least a quart of clean, pure water every day.  Other beverages such as juice, soda, coffee, and alcohol don’t count.  In fact, they can contribute to and aggravate dehydration symptoms, like headache, constipation, nausea, irritability, etc.

·       One could take herbs that aid in the digestion process.   In addition to the kitchen spices noted above, there are other herbs that can be ingested to help digestion.  Some of those are burdock, chamomile, dandelion root, fennel, marsh mallow root, peppermint (can be made into an alcohol tincture, but the commercial alcohol doesn’t count), spearmint, and yellow dock.  These can be found at local health food stores, and can be taken in a capsule, tea, tincture, syrup, or powder form.  One good thing about taking herbs is that virtually all of them have no side affects, unlike their counterpart:  pharmaceutical drugs.  In many cases, they are just as (or more) effective too.  

Having a healthy digestive tract is one of the best ways to lead a healthy, happy life!  Once a person is truly healthy, the lifestyle that comes with it can become addictive—an addiction that is recommended!

(Disclaimer:   This article is for educational purposes only, and not intended to diagnose or treat a medical condition.)                   

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References

Gladstar, R. (2008). Chapter 2:  A Prescription for Life. In N. W. Ringer (Ed.), Herbal Recipes for       Vibrant Health (pp. 13-41). North Adams, MA: Storey Publishing.

Mercola, J. (April 6, 2007). Do you know what pasteurization and irradiation really mean? Retrieved December 16, 2009, from http://blogs.mercola.com/sites/vitalvotes/archive/2007/04/06/do-you-know-what-pasteurization-and-irradiation-really-mean.aspx

Mercola, J. (n.d.). Don’t drink your milk! Retrieved December 16, 2009, from http://www.mercola.com/article/milk/no-milk.htm

Natural Standard from http://www.naturalstandard.com/index.asp

Page, L. (2006). Indigestion and Heartburn. In Linda Page’s Guide to Self Healing (12th ed., pp. 470-471). Del Rey Oaks, CA: Healthy Healing.

Page, L. (2006). Vitamins. In Linda Page’s healthy healing, A guide to self healing for everone (12th, pp. 619-620). : Healthy Healing.

Tierra, M. (1998). Chapter 7: A Balanced Diet. In S. Dharmananda (Ed.), The Way of Herbs (pp. 47-70). New York, NY: Pocket Books.