Wednesday 11 May 2011

Cleansing yourself through detoxification


The quality of food is an important factor when it comes to meeting consumer satisfaction. Aside from appearance, size, flavour and colour, it also includes meeting federal standards.

Food quality also has to meet sanitation requirements to ensure products are packaged and processed in a clean and safe environment. There are many instances, however, where people have been caught adulterating food for profit.

For instance, in March 2011, a grocer in India’s capital, New Delhi, was caught selling adulterated dal (pulses) by mixing a banned colouring agent known for its brain damaging properties.

Aside from food, products like milk and water too can be tampered with. Milk producers may at times add water to milk to cut costs and increase quantity. Meanwhile, a form of water adulteration can be by using the brand name of a prominent mineral water company on ordinary bottled water.

Constant exposure to processed foodstuffs, poor food quality, and addictions can stack up toxins in your body. It is important, therefore, that you undergo regular detoxification to rid your body of unwanted material which builds up over time. The process can range from a week to about a month.

A holistic approach is the best way to detox yourself. Fasting, fresh fruit diet, water and juice therapy, yoga and meditation can be followed if you’re looking to cleanse yourself. There are also commercial cleansing programmes with specially designed protein powders, vitamins and nutrients.

Of course, it is advisable to consult a specialist if you’re suffering from any illness before you proceed. It is also important to note that during this period of detoxification, you may experience several discomforts including skin eruptions, emotional irritability, temporary constipation or diarrhoea, headaches and some fever. This is just your body releasing toxins and adjusting to the sudden change.

To combat the ‘side effects’, you can try breathing exercises and simple meditation techniques.

Some of the more common parts of the body which benefit are the gastrointestinal tract (GI Tract), skin, liver, gallbladder, lymphatic system, lungs, kidneys and bladder.

Detoxification is effective, simple and cheap. After subjecting our bodies to months of abuse, it is the least we can do. And as it is tried, tested and true, there is all the more reason to go ahead and treat your body to some much needed respite.

Tuesday 10 May 2011

Say No to Digestive problems by maintaining healthy colon


Digestive problem has become quite common and many of us have learnt to cope up with that, rather than find a permanent solution. Due to change in our lifestyle, most of us find it quite easy to grab a pack of fries and soft drinks, rather than spend time to elaborately plan and cook healthy food at home. This kind of routine certainly affects our digestive system and takes a toll on our overall health.

Almost all digestive problem starts in colon, which is responsible for storing the body wastes. Bowel problems are quite common now a days and cleansing the colon quite frequently is an efficient way to keep our overall health in good condition. Colon starts to work sluggishly with the in-take of foods that are laced with additives, artificial flavors and ingredients. The initial symptoms of digestive problems vary from person to person. Some of the common indications include: formation of gas, bloating, constipation, diarrhea, belching and flatulation. These symptoms appear even in apparently healthy people.

A simple digestive problems can in turn lead to plethora of other diseases and has the potential to bring us down quite quickly. The root cause for most of the diseases in our body is the malfunctioning of colon. As colon stores waste products, it should function actively and effectively by preventing further accumulation of waste products. If colon is not cleansed properly, then harmful toxins start to build up there and eventually get released in the blood stream, which in turn causes nausea, headache, lethargy, dizziness, sleepiness and bad breath. So cleansing the colon is the single most important step in avoiding digestive problems.

In order to avoid bowel problems, it is essential to keep a check on what we take in, and not how much we take in. The major factors of digestive system are: how much of food it can digest fully, absorb the nutrients and metabolize properly. These factors differ from person to person. Some may be able to digest high protein and high fat food quite quickly while others may even be struggling with a simple low-fat food to get digested properly. Even though it is better to rely on natural digestion, some people rely on digestive enzymes to improve their digestive process.

Here are some cures for common bowel problems

  • Intake of fresh ginger paste mixed with hot water helps to cure digestive problems as well as bring the sluggish colon back to work.
  • Regular intake of fruit juice in empty stomach helps to cleanse the colon quite effectively.
  • Keeping ourselves physically active also helps to invigorate the colon and keep digestive problems at bay.

Common Digestive Problems and treatment


Herbal medicine says digestive system is the most important part of our body which draws energy from the food that we take. Nowadays digestive problems are common in many countries. Wrong eating habit is the basic reason. Low fiber food and processed meals, animal fats, and increased level of stress are other common reasons for digestive problems or bowel problems. It can also appear in healthy looking peoples and goes undiagnosed as we think that it is not serious. Many digestive diseases or bowel problems which goes undiagnosed affects our immune system and spreads certain kinds of toxins to our body. All this happens only because we are ignoring the basic needs of our body. Nowadays people of every age group consume a lot of junk and packaged food which contains a lot of flour which is very harmful for our body. Packaged food also contains vinegar which causes acidity and ulcers in the stomach.
There are many common digestive and bowel problems. Some of them are as follows:

Reflux-Most common digestive problems. Heartburn is the main symptom including sour taste or fluid in your mouth. It can even harm esophagus and can lead to esophageal cancer. Treatment includes drugs like Aciphex, Prevacid, and Protonix.

Constipation- Another common disorder that makes the bowel movement difficult. Tool becomes very hard, difficult to pass. You can suffer from constipation if you are not drinking enough water or not eating enough fiber. So, drink enough fluids which will move your tools by making it softer. Eat green leafy vegetables and fibrous fruits to prevent constipation. If you experience constipation more than 3-4 weeks, abdominal pain or blood in your tool than consult your doctor.

Abdominal Adhesion-Symptoms are chronic abdominal and pelvic pain, intestinal obstruction, and female infertility. Causes are abdominal surgery, radiation treatment, and abdominal infections.

Irritable Bowel syndrome-Also called spastic colon, mucous colitis, and intestinal neurosis. Symptoms are bloating, diarrhea, gas, and nausea. Whenever you eat, pain starts. Stress and low fiber intake are the common reasons. So, avoid animal fat, carbonated drinks, chocolates, fried foods, and alcohol. Eat high fiber diet supplementing with plenty of water.

Peptic Ulcer- Regular occurrence of stomach pain is the main symptom. Other causes are alcohol and smoking.

To prevent the digestive problems and bowel problems follow the following steps:


  • Add fibers and garlic to your food.
  • Have barley grass and wheat grass juice.
  • Add fresh fruits and green leafy vegetables to your diet.