Doctor Digestion

Does Acai Aid in Digestion? by Jacky Tompson

Do you often feel constipated and irritable? Do you spend hours in the bathroom waiting for a movement that never comes? Do you often have to take emergency bathroom breaks because of an erratic bowel movement schedule? If you answer yes to even one of these questions, then your body’s digestive system is in need of serious help, maybe even an overhaul. Bodily waste movement is essential in keeping your system clean, particularly the blood and the air that is circulated in all your organs. If you are not moving your bowels properly and regularly, you run the risk of transporting harmful elements to the different parts of your body.

The digestive system is the body’s waste disposal system and it is originally intended to flush out both solid and liquid wastes on a daily basis. However, due to several factors, it might not always be able to perform its function which can lead to really serious health concerns. Acai berry is a food supplement that can help cleanse your excretory system, among other things. It contains ingredients that serve as natural and mild laxatives that will aid in normal bowel movement and urination.

You might have heard of the acai berries incredible effects on ridding the body of free radicals and other harmful elements that destroys healthy cells and promote the regeneration of the same. It is just as effective in inducing proper waste extrication which is very important in keeping the body working well and good.

Acai berry juice is just one of the forms of this fruit which has stirred so many hubbubs in the field of alternative medicine. Although it does not have any proven therapeutic effects, it is nevertheless a very effective health aid that many people can afford and should definitely take advantage of. It is important to regularly consume acai juice, or the supplement forms, in order to maintain the effects of it on the body. There is also a need to eat proper foods, such as fresh fruits and vegetables, which are the main sources of nutrients that the body needs in order to function well for a very long time.

Food supplements, such as acai berry, are not cures for any disease so they should never replace any medical treatment or pharmacological aid. They are merely helpful tools to promote better health and aid the body to make itself better. As with using acai berry as a natural laxative, there are no known side effects from prolonged usage nor does it effectiveness diminish through time.

Learn more about how acai berry helps with digestion by visiting our website AcaiBerryTime.com.

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Your Digestive System - a Ticking Time Bomb
By Willie Jones

Before digestion actually occurs, the smell of food or the thoughts about food when you are hungry is the signal to salivate. This moistens the mouth and makes it possible to swallow food.

Digestion occurs in four stages beginning with the mouth, stomach, small intestine and large intestine.

Mouth

There are two actions that take place when you put food in your mouth. One is to start breaking down food by chewing. While you are chewing saliva further breaks down food because of the enzyme amylase. Not chewing your food enough causes strain on the stomach to break down larger chunks.

Stomach

The stomach produces about 3 quarts of acid per day. This in combination with enzymes further breaks down the food. It is in the stomach that proteins, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals are processed for nutrient absorption. The hydrochloric acid also kills off viruses and bacteria.

Small Intestine

The pancreas, which releases enzymes, and the gallbladder, which releases bile salts, assist the small intestine in further breakdown. It is in the small intestine that most of the nutrient absorption takes place. Unfortunately, today’s poor diets from over processed foods, pollutants in our agriculture and misinformation, has created a nation susceptible to poor health and disease. Long term poor diet results in the body literally starving for nutrients while we gain unwanted weight, fatigue and immune system difficulties.

Large Intestine

The large intestine takes the remaining mass and absorbs water, electrolytes and some left over nutrients. The indigestible mass remains until it can be excreted.

What Can Go Wrong

Most everyone has experienced diarrhea or constipation in their lives and someone who is in relatively good condition will find this to be temporary. Diarrhea is when the muscles in the intestines move the mass along too quickly and there is not enough time for the water to be absorbed in the system. This is why doctors get concerned about dehydration. The opposite is true for constipation where the waste moves along very slowly so the water gets absorbed and the waste hardens making it difficult to excrete.

There are several conditions that cause havoc in the intestines that can cause poor health.
Irritable Bowel Syndrome or IBS, is where the muscles in the colon are not working properly. This can cause constipation or diarrhea, bloating and cramping, a very uncomfortable condition.

Colitis is a chronic inflammation of the intestines where the top layer of lining of the intestinal wall can be damaged and ulcers occur. This causes diarrhea, abdominal pain and possible bleeding. Ulcerative Colitis can be difficult to diagnose because it is similar to IBS and Crohns disease.

Crohns disease mainly affects the small intestine but can affect any part of the digestive system including the mouth and stomach. This disease causes inflammation even deeper in the intestinal lining.

The stomach and esophagus are not immune to irritation. The esophagus can get inflamed from acid reflux or GERD. The acid from the stomach can move up to the esophagus and damage the lining. The stomach can experience ulcers which can be quite painful.

There are other digestive disorders that can make one’s life miserable, but, there is hope for any of these conditions. Lifestyle changes and eating habits can do much to ease or reduce symptoms. The fuel you put in your body has everything to do with how efficiently your body runs. It is a well known fact that if you put bad gas in your car it will run poorly or not at all. The same holds true for a body. If you have spent years abusing your body by giving it bad fuel, it stands to reason that it will not function well. So what do you do?

Start by evaluating what you eat on a daily basis and keep notes. Get educated in health and nutrition. The grocery stores are full of canned and packaged processed foods. Processed foods are truly an enemy to good health. Some nutrition is taken out, preservatives put in to ensure shelf life, great for the shareholders who are happy with their profits but bad for proper health.

Next time you go to a grocery store try this little exercise. Avoid all the center aisles for food items. This means no canned or processed foods, only non food items such as toothpaste, paper towels etc. Do go to the meat dept. for all natural meats, (but do keep portions way down, you really don’t need much more than 3 oz). Then go to the produce section for fresh fruits, vegetables and herbs, preferably organic. This means actual cooking which may not be as convenient as processed foods, but by far much healthier. If you don’t have time to cook daily, take a Sunday afternoon and prepare meals to place in the freezer.

Drink a lot of water! Just drink up all day long. You would be amazed at what drinking water can do for your health. (Note, the more dehydrated you are, the more pain you feel) Water is so important in flushing your system of toxins and waste. Your toilet will not flush without water and this is true for your body as well. Most Americans are semi dehydrated and don’t know it. You can get some of your liquids from fruits and vegetables, teas etc., but not drinking water through out the day will make it tough on your entire body. Some times when you feel a bit hungry you may actually be thirsty. Drink a glass of water first. If your craving for food goes away then you know it was thirst.

Your body relies on the digestive system for your very survival. A malfunctioning system impairs water and nutrient absorption. It can go like this for a long time but at your own peril. *** Long term neglect can result in conditions such as GERD, IBS which includes chronic constipation, diarrhea, Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitisor Celiac disease or even cancer.*** While you may enjoy the cookies, pies, cakes and fatty foods that you know are not good for you, you will pay later! No matter the state your body is currently in with regards to the digestive system, you can do something about it. So DO something about it! You’ll live longer, lose weight and feel so much better.

Willie is a freelance writer and researcher whose own health problems prompted her to take responsibility for gaining as much information on health as possible and to share that knowledge with others. She is co-owner of http://www.cleanbodydetox.com a site that focuses on health and detox through ionic foot baths.

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Bitters - Not Just For Healthy Digestion
By Mary Ann Copson

Bitters are a diverse group of chemicals compounds that share the common characteristic of a bitter taste. Bitters are commonly used to strengthen and improve the whole digestive system in the body. Bitters also act to increase the vital energy centers in the body as well as the nervous system. Because they have such a broad effect on the entire physiology, tone, and function of your body, bitters are a principle that can be used to treat the body as a whole. The beneficial effects of bitters go beyond digestive hormone activity. Bitter stimulation can often shift a condition or illness that does not appear to have anything to do with the digestive process. The bitter principal acts to increase self-healing and resistance in many ways.

But They Taste So Bitter!

To be effective bitters must be tasted on the taste buds of the tongue where they stimulate the bitter taste buds and thus increase salivation. This stimulates the gastric reflex to cause digestive juices to be secreted. There is increased flow of digestive juices from the pancreas, duodenum, and liver that results in better assimilation of nutrients and less undigested food being passed through the digestive tract. This is of benefit to problems that have their basis in inefficient or allergy distorted digestion.

The Various Roles of Bitters

Bitters act to increase or stabilize the appetite. In general, there is a stimulation of the appetite, which is important in conditions of convalescence and where there is otherwise a reduction of appetite. Bitters do not seem to increase appetite in a digestively healthy person, rather a more healthful balance in the appetite develops. The body acquires more taste for healthy foods and less taste for unhealthy foods.

When bitters activate the gastric secretion of hydrochloric acid and other digestive enzymes, the nerve tone of the muscles of the entire digestive tract improves. Blood circulation improves and the body can assimilate foods, absorb nutrients, and eliminate wastes more efficiently. In a broader way, this improvement in blood circulation affects the healthy activity of the heart and circulation in general.

Cleansing and Detoxification

Bitters stimulate the liver to do a more effective cleansing and detoxifying job and prompt the gallbladder to make bile. The production of bile helps metabolize fats and keeps elimination moving smoothly. Bitters also produce a diuretic and hepatic effect in the body. This has value when working with any condition that has origins in a sluggish or overworked liver.

Stabilizing Blood Sugar

Bitters produce a regulatory effect on the secretion of the pancreas of the hormones that regulate blood sugar, insulin, and glucagon. This can be of benefit in stabilizing insulin levels and modulating blood sugar swings. Diabetics should be careful when taking bitters because bitters may upset their blood sugar balance.

Reducing Stress

Bitters can also be supportive in reducing stress and anxiety and regenerating the nervous system. When bitters work to strengthen digestion, this activates the parasympathetic branch of the autonomic nervous system and induces a more relaxed state in the body. Bitters can be useful if you are overextended and stressed out. Bitters produce subtle, beneficial psychological effects. In some cases they can produce a marked antidepressant effect and a generally tonic effect upon consciousness.

Increasing Immune Responses

Some bitter herbs such as Gentian can modulate gut associated immune responses. In some therapeutic circles, bitters are indicated for treatment of those recovering from infectious diseases including viral conditions such as chronic fatigue syndrome. Some clinical tests have shown that bitters can decrease levels of sIgA antibodies and reduce or eliminate symptoms in those with inflammatory bowel disease. Bitters may help repair gut wall damage through stimulating self-repair mechanisms.

Who Should Use Bitters?

Bitters are indicated when there is digestive weakness. Digestive weakness is often associated with an infectious disease that depletes the vital energy of the body. Digestive weakness and decreased vitality both reduce the assimilation of nutrients and the elimination of wastes resulting in a spiraling effect of depletion in the body. Stress can deplete vital energy which disrupts digestion and this further decreases the body’s vital energy.

Bitters can also be useful for those who have an over reliance on mental energy that can result in physical exhaustion.

Bitters are indicated for use in:

• poor fat digestion

• poor protein digestion

• weakness due to chronic illness especially with a bacterial or viral infection

• loss of energy and vitality

• painful digestion

• intestinal cramps

• excessive gas

• irritable bowel syndrome

• poor appetite

• anemia

• excessive craving for sweets, fats, and carbohydrates

• immune disorders where nutritional deficiency is present

• digestive weakness due to mental overwork and lack of exercise.

Which Herbs Are Bitters?

Important bitter herbs include: Peppermint, Calendula, Dandelion, Artichoke leaf, Blessed Thistle, Angelica, Motherwort, Wormwood, Bitter Orange Peel, Lemon Peel, Gentian root, Centaury root, Mugwort, Goldenseal, Cascara Sagrada, Devil’s Claw, Tarragon, Hops, Boneset, Barberry, Chamomile, Yarrow, Horehound, Rue, and Tansy.

Bitters range in effect from mild bitters like Chamomile to intense bitters like Wormwood or Gentian. The whole bitters class of herbs has a variable therapeutic margin. The more mild the bitter the greater the therapeutic range and the more intense the bitter the more restrictive the range. Intense bitters like Wormwood, Tansy, and Rue have a low therapeutic margin and need to be used with care. Absinthinn found in Artemisias such as Wormwood is so bitter it can be tasted at a dilution of 1:30,000. A mild bitter like Chamomile has a very wide therapeutic margin and can be used in much greater quantities for a larger population. In general though, bitters are taken in small quantities at meals and are not usually consumed by the cupfuls throughout the day.

How To Take Your Bitters

Bitters extract well into hot water and alcohol. Bitters may be combined with flavorful herbs such as Licorice, Orange peel, Lemon peel, or Cardamom to give a better tasting remedy. Some bitters are destroyed by heat and most bitters are taken in alcohol preparations.

To gain their full effectiveness bitters should be taken over time. Some effect may be seen immediately, but their fullest benefit in the body is achieved when they are taken over weeks and months. Bitters are usually taken 15 to 30 minutes before the meal or just after the meal. If too great a dose is taken symptoms may worsen. If that is the case lower the dose and gradually build up as the body gets stronger.

Where Do I Get Bitters?

You can find Bitters at most health food stores and herbal companies. Evenstar Herbs makes a general Liver Bitters Tonic.

You are what you eat.

Your health and performance are enhanced or disabled by the timing, frequency and the quality of what you eat. Your dietary and nutritional patterns and routines throughout the day can enable you to successfully navigate with ease and grace through turbulent high stress times. Consuming the right foods, at the right time, in the right environment is one of your highest priorities. Without specific and attentive dietary choices it becomes nearly impossible to achieve a high level of wellness and performance and all stress becomes excessive and recovery is not effective.

• Do you crave junk foods?

• Are you never hungry?

• Are you always hungry?

• Do you experience gas or flatulence?

• Do you experience burping or belching?

• Do you experience constipation?

• Do you experience diarrhea?

• Do you experience”heartburn”?

• Do you experience reflux?

• Do you experience rumbling, agitation or burning in the digestive tract?

If you answered “yes” to any of the above you might benefit from including specific bitters in you diet. Consult your healthcare professional.

Mary Ann Copson is the founder of the Evenstar Herbs and the Creative Transformational Living Learning and Resource Center. Her book, Green Medicine and Traditional Herbal Healing is available at http://EvenstarHerbs.com/greenmedicinereport.html at no charge to you when you use the coupon code GREEN at checkout.

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Acai Berry Information: How To Loose 1 Pound In 1 Day Using Acai Berry Information Techniques by Stacy Keeper

Acai berry information is of vital importance if you are aspiring to loose weight at warp speed. There have been numerous instances wherein people from all walks of life have been adversely affected by neglecting the acai berry supplement on a regular basis. In order to avoid this scenario, it is strongly suggested that you try and make use of all what you have in a bid to achieve your weight loss goals with utmost ease. Here is how you can hope to loose one pound in one day using the acai berry weight loss technique.

The Acai Supplement Melts Fat

One of the main advantages of an acai supplement is that it has an ability to melt body fat at warp speed. In case you are still unaware of the abilities of the acai and colon cleanse supplements, you need to read product reviews and ask your friends and relatives who have had the privilege of trying out these supplements on a regular basis. The acai fruit has natural ingredients which are capable of melting body fat at warp speed. Moreover the essential vitamins and rare minerals found in this fruit are capable of converting that melted fat into pure muscle.

It Removes Harmful Toxins

The second most effective use of an acai berry formula is to remove harmful toxins from a human body. If in case you are stated to suffer from obesity, the best solution in hand is to try and make use of the acai berry weight loss supplement. You need to simply complement it with the colon cleanse supplement and then you would be surprised to see your fat melt into muscle. Owing to the sudden removal of harmful toxins, the human body develops the ability to loose weight at warp speed.

It Speeds Sluggish Metabolism

One of the main reasons why you tend to gain weight is because your metabolism is weak. In order to increase your basic metabolism, you would be required to make use of the splendid acai supplement in order to cleanse your inner body and allow your toxins to get naturally released. Once this happens, you have the ability to burn calories at a rapid pace. Once this happens, you can be rest assured that you would be indirectly aiding weight loss at a fairly fast pace.

It Improves Digestion

A weak digestion is often the most important reason behind rapid weight gain. If in case you are stated to suffer from constipation, gas, indigestion, irritable bowel syndrome and bloating of the stomach, the chances are that your body would be unable to burn its fat content in an appropriate manner. In order to speed the fat burning process, you would be required to include an acai and colon supplement in your daily food. After a while, you would be free from chronic stomach ailments, which in turn would allow a speedier weight loss procedure

It Is Natural and Improves Energy

The biggest advantage of making use of the miraculous acai supplement is its natural ingredients. As compared to other fat loss pills, the acai berry weight loss formula is often considered to be the most effective means of shedding excessive fat at warp speed. Once your energy is improved, you can easily hope to loose weight and regain your lost energy. Hence, the combination of acai and colon cleanse supplements are often the best ways to loose one pound of fat in one day.

Click here to grab your Free Trial Packs of Acai Berry and Colon Cleanse . This miraculous Acai Berry Weight Loss plan will help you loose weight at warp speed and keep you free from chronic ailments for the rest of your life.

Article Source: Health Articles World

My Journey - Part 9 - Let’s Talk Nutrition – it Plays an Important Part of Health and Weight Control by Karen Fullick

So lets get started on nutrition

As nutrition is an essential part of health and weight loss/control and the feeling of wellbeing, I am going to include emails regarding this subject. It also forms part of my journey as covered in my previous emails. I believe that understanding some of this will help you to start making beneficial changes to your diet, however, it is only a part of what led to my success – my amazing discovery ‘To free the slim you’ is the glue that holds together all of my nutritional knowledge, past experiences, new findings and success!!

So let’s tackle the subject of water first.

Water – the essence of life

For some reason a lot of people do not like drinking water unless it is mixed with fruit squash, tea or coffee. Mixed with these substances it dilutes it’s health value.
So I will start by going over the reasons we should drink water and plenty of it – at least 1.5 ltrs per day and more if you have exercised or done anything that has made you sweat.

Benefits – the scientific bit:

• Water is essential for life
• Regulates body temperature
• Transports nutrients around the body
• Involved in every stage of digestion
• Carries waste products out of the body
• Enables the formation of cells and tissues
• Provides a medium in which metabolism occurs
• Sends messages between our cells so that our muscles can contract
• Protects the nervous system
• Carries oxygen and carbon dioxide round the body
• Forms lubricant for joints and membranes

How cool is that!!

Things you need to know:

• At the point we feel thirsty our body is already dehydrated.
• Often when we feel hungry we are really thirsty.
• The colour of our urine is a clear indicator of our body water levels. If it is a light straw colour we are hydrated if it is any darker we are dehydrated. The darker the colour the more dehydrated we are.

How can we adjust to drinking water:

If you can drink water – go ahead and drink at least 1.5 ltrs a day
For those of you who struggle to drink water there is a correct way of doing this that makes it quite easy.
SIP your water regularly throughout the day. You will soon be able to consume your daily allowance.
Do not drink a full glass of water all at once as this will just go straight through your system and you will be running to the toilet all day. Even when exercising you should SIP.
Build up your water intake if you are not used to it. Any amount of pure water will be beneficial to you.
Drink a glass of water 30 mins before eating – you will eat less

Coming next:

Break the chain of Yo-Yo dieting

Until next time

Take care – Karen
Nutritional Therapist

Tip of the day
Water will make your skin, hair and complexion look and feel great. If you cannot drink it on it’s own drink it in herbal teas – It has the same effect!

My name is Karen I have written a series of reports about my weight loss journey in which time I loss 49 pounds / 22 kilos, qualified as a Nutritional Therapist and made an amazing discovery to Fast, Effortless, Permanent weight loss To receive your free reports click http://www.freetheslimyou.com

Article Source: Health Articles World