DIGESTION

“What most people don’t realize is that food is not just calories; it’s information. It actually contains messages that connect to every cell in the body.” – Dr. Mark Hyman

ABOUT

It has been said by many a wise soul that health begins in the gut, and with good reason. This is basically the first step towards turning future-you, i.e. food, into… You.

Food should ideally be fully digested within a few hours of eating. If this is sluggish, food may be trapped in the body for days. If you’ve every accidentally left food out of the refrigerator on a hot day, you know what that smells like. So you can imagine how happy your digestive tract is when full of putrefying food sludge.

A healthy gut means the digestive tract is clear of debris, and that the microbiome is balanced, so that food is processed efficiently. It can then be absorbed and the nutrients utilized while it is still fresh and vital, and the waste filtered and excreted before it rots.

The first step in a healthy gut is feeding it with awareness. Simple, freshly prepared food, eaten in a relaxed manner, will give you far more benefit than fast food eaten on the run. An easy way to know if you are eating in tune with your body’s needs is how you feel afterwards. If you feel vibrant, relaxed and content, you are probably on the right track. If you have a racing heart, headache, stomach pain, feel bloated, or slip into a proverbial food coma after a meal, then you might wish to simplify the intense workout you are imposing on your digestive system.

I tend towards the Fit For Life diet, which is basically eating carbohydrates separately from proteins, vegetables with every main meal, and sugars including fruit away from main meals. This may look like plain fruit for breakfast, salad with seeds and nuts for lunch, and vegetables with legumes or rice for dinner. The Body Ecology Diet is quite similar with an aim towards 80% vegetables or fruit and probiotics in any given meal. There are many similar diets which are helpful, but these have worked for me.

PHYSICAL SUPPORT

ENEMAS: This process of flushing the colon with liquid, usually saline or a herbal solution, will aid elimination and reduce the toxic load on your digestive tract. Please see the listing for Enemas in the Flush First section of this book.

FASTING: Intermittent fasting, or reducing the time during which you eat to 6-8 hours per day, will greatly enhance your body’s ability to clean itself out. This method induces autophagy which recycles or eliminates degraded cell components and bacteria. Please see the listing for Fasting in the Flush First section of this book.

RELAXED EATING: If you are stressed, the adrenal system pumps blood away from your stomach into your limbs, ready to run away from the proverbial beast in the woods. This leaves your gut lacking blood required for efficient digestion. So eating in a calm environment, away from the distractions of watching videos or reading, will allow your nervous system to settle, which in turn will benefit your digestion.

YOGA: There are yoga sequences to aid pretty much every part of the body, and digestion is no exception. Here is a quick set to help get your belly in order.

[12] Adrienne, 2013, Detox Yoga, 20 Minute Yoga Flow for Detox and Digestion, Yoga with Adrienne @ Youtube: www.youtube.com/watch?v=cBPP_izKKSs

NUTRITIONAL SUPPORT

FOOD [11][14]

AVOID

• Remove processed food, coffee, alcohol, excess sugars, gluten, corn, most dairy, processed foods, the usual culprits.

GO FOR IT

• APPLES – contain pectin & quercetin to clean the colon.
• AVOCADO – fiber rich, potassium and magnesium to flush out colon.
• BROTH – Homemade bone broth soup is excellent for the stomach, especially if you have leaky gut. Simply boil a chicken carcass or some beef bones in water. If you are histamine intolerant use plain water, boil for an hour and drink immediately. If you are OK with histamines, add 1 tsp. apple cider vinegar, boil for up to 8 hours. You can freeze excess for later use.
• FERMENTED FOODS – such as sauerkraut and kim chi
• FLAX SEEDS – especially sprouted Flax. 2 tbsp. either sprouted, or soak for at least 30 minutes before use. Grind before use if possible as flax seeds are a bit difficult to digest. Or just be sure to chew them very well.
• GHEE – Take organic cow or buffalo ghee before eating to lubricate the digestive tract. Do NOT mix with other foods especially sugar. [10]
• LEMON JUICE – Drinking lemon juice in water on an empty stomach is a fantastic way to start the day. It activates enzymes to prepare for food, but if you fast for an hour or so after the juice, those enzymes will then be used to clean up the digestive tract.
• MAGNESIUM CITRATE – to aid regular bowel movements
• PROBIOTIC FOODS – Increase ferments such as kefir, for optimal gut health.
• PSYLLIUM HUSKS – take in water 20 min before eating to aid regular bowel movement.
• TRIPHALIA – herbs used for natural colon support
• WATER – Ensure you have plenty of clean water throughout the day to maintain hydration and elimination.

ENERGETIC SUPPORT

STATEMENTS FOR THE DIGESTIVE SYSTEM

Suggestions for affirmations you may like to use with kinesiology, meditation, prayer, visualisation, or your favorite tools for personal wellbeing:

• My digestive system is healthy, strong and efficient.
• My gut microbiome is clear, healthy and balanced.
• I enjoy eating foods that are nourishing for my body.
• My body absorbs nutrition easefully and efficiently.
• My body eliminates wastes at optimal speed.

VIDEOS

FURTHER READING

• Gates D, 15 June 2011, The Body Ecology Diet, Hay House Inc,: www.bodyecology.com/aboutbed/
• Diamond H, Diamond M, 16 August 2010, Fit For Life, Grand Central Publishing: www.barnesandnoble.com/w/fit-for-life-harvey-diamond/1101353589

WHERE TO NEXT?

KIDNEYS