"all disease begins in the gut."
hippocrates, the father of modern medicine
ok so it works like this. well, it should anyway. read on.
you eat food. your stomach and guts, with their proper flora balances, break down food, assimilate the nutrients and deliver said nutrients to the blood. then all waste goes out your butt and down the toilet. literally. everyday. at least 1-3 bowel movements a day is normal. not too loose (need more fiber), not too dry (dehydrated); in christine's words, "long and formed" is ideal. this is how a healthy human body's digestive system should naturally work.
everyday stress, processed foods, lack of exercise, use of prescription medicines, exposure to antibiotics from non-organic foods and dehydration can seriously back things up. sometimes to the point where people get stubborn, stubborn acne. more advanced cases can involve candida albicans (imbalanced yeast) or digestive parasites (commonly attained when traveling/eating/drinking abroad).
for these clients with stubborn cases of acne, we suggest adding a few supplements to your regime.
food enzymes (to break down food) and
probiotics (to balance intestinal flora, or clean out the house, if you will) and
fiber (to take out the body's "trash") are essential to maintain proper flow of: food going in + nutrients assimilated & delivered + poop going out = healthy digestion.
here are some things you can integrate to get things moving!
- ginger, peppermint, chamomile
teas all help stimulate digestion, and are caffeine-free
- kyodophilus
probiotic supplements - they make one with enzymes already built in
- sauerkraut, kimchi and other
fermented vegetables are foods that naturally contain probiotics & enzymes - raw is vital for the good bacteria & organic is best. (apparently is also cheap and easy to make at home - check out http://www.perfectpickler.com/ )
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fiber is best sourced from fresh vegetables and fruits - raw is best!
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enzymes are naturally found in apple cider vinegar, papayas, pineapples, aloe vera juice, wheatgrass juice, parsley, kale, broccoli, celery, cabbage, beets, beet greens, tomatoes, all bell peppers, apples, figs, pears, cherries, peaches, strawberries and apricots are all excellent choices for raw foods that contain naturally occurring digestive enzymes
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cook more at home, so that you can be conscious of and in control of what goes into your food. excess sodium and processed foods are not good for you!
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exercise! keep your body moving to "massage" your digestive organs.
- wind-removing pose (see our post from a few posts back) - even doing this only 2x/day upon rising and before slumber should help move things along
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drink more water. dehydration dries up your skin, lips and your insides too.
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lemon+water throughout the day helps to alkalize the body and ease digestion. just keep it about 30 minutes away from foods - citrus acids and fruits neutralize digestive enzymes in your belly, disrupting the digestion. ice cold water also halts the digestive process.
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soleil (available at sS, $12), or pink himalayan rock salt that is fully saturated into a jar of spring water. a spoon of this a day, in a glass of water along with a squeeze of lemon first thing in the morning is a great way to boost your system. i love this as a hangover remedy.
more tips to come!