Tip #6: GI Health

Though we don't talk about it in polite conversation, it is incredibly important to go to the bathroom to "move your bowels" daily or nearly daily. Think about what you ate yesterday. Did it include any candy, chips, ice cream, cake, or cookies? If you ate fruit, vegetables, meat, eggs, milk, or cheese, is there a chance that any of it contained pesticides? Do you want all of these products to remain in your body longer than necessary or would you like to expel them today? Ideally, you want waste to move out of your body as quickly as possible. How can we help?

There are many factors that play a role in GI health. Fiber is a big one. Fiber carries waste out of the body.

"Where do we get fiber?" you ask.

There are many sources of fiber. I will share some of my favorites: fruit - especially the skins such as on apples, vegetables - especially raw, popcorn, beans (like black, pinto, kidney, garbanzo...), pickles (vegetable in disguise, dill is healthier than sweetened), dried apricots (fruit in disguise), oatmeal, whole grains (oatmeal, whole wheat, spelt, rye). Sometimes when I bake, I throw in a few tablespoons of spelt flour just to add fiber to my cookies or cakes. I use coconut sugar instead of granulated sugar as much as possible because coconut sugar still contains some fiber.

What else promotes GI health?

Water. The GI tract needs water to remain flushed. Without water, waste gets stuck in the intestines. If you drink 8 glasses per day, you can imagine that your system will be cleaned.

Meditation. This probably seems ludicrous but it's true. You can sit and meditate, imagining that you are squeezing the waste from your intestines, working your way down slowly (there are about 28 feet of intestine to squeeze, so take your time), massaging your intestines gently but firmly, squeezing out all the waste. You might be rewarded by a bowel movement from this activity.

Probiotics. Probiotics are good bacteria for your gut. Begin by eating yogurt or kefir - possibly daily. Alternatively, or if that doesn't work, you can buy products over-the-counter. Ask your pharmacist where the probiotics are located. They can be expensive, but you don't have to take them every day.

If the probiotics don't work, drink prune juice. Either of these could be taken at night and results should be delivered the next morning.

Finally, if none of these work (beginning with daily fiber and water), then try a stool softener or laxative. Talk with your doctor or nurse practitioner about which is best for you. But don't leave that waste in your body to cause problems like cancer. Keep your bowels healthy!