The Healthy GutThe Gut, Bowels Habits & YOUR Health

Dr H. J Bartle found in a study of intestinal toxemia that 72% of these cases had constipation

“Every physician should realize that the intestinal toxemia (poisons) are the most important primary and contributing causes of many disorders and diseases of the human body”. Gastroenterologist DR Anthony Bassler

This picture is what healthy blood looks like under the microscope.

This is the blood of someone who has an overloaded gut. It is associated with fatigue and autoimmune conditions such as asthma, eczema, allergies and so forth.

Do you suffer?

• Mental Confusion • Anxiety & Depression • Hormonal Issues • Irritability • Gastrointestinal Irregularities • Chronic Fatigue • Skin Disorders such as psoriasis or eczema • Allergic Reactions (hives, sneezing, coughing, food sensitivity)

These are classic signs of an overloaded digestive system. The good news is, I can guarantee you will feel loads better after a bowel cleanse. Do not worry, by following a nice Cleanse your symptoms will improve, as will your mood.

Imagine if you never cleaned the toilet, which is effectively a large pipe that eliminates fecal matter from your bathroom (much like your colon). It would be absolutely disgusting, fecal matter would stick to the sides of the porcelain, it would gather, and grow. Before long your toilet would be black and very smell (I do apologize for beginning so blunt, however after 20 years of emergency nursing, and my fair share of moonlighting in Colonoscopies, I tend to cut to the point).

“90% of diseases are from improper functioning of the colon, in 22 000 operations I have performed I have never found a single normal colon” John Kellogg

The first step to any health program is to sort out the bowels and eliminate all the toxic material that has been collected over the years. Most of us have sluggish, slow moving, bowels that contain pounds of old fecal matter. The idea is to remove the toxins and the toxic build up from your fat cells, muscle tissues and organs. When you dissolve this toxic material, it is mostly eliminated via your bowel. Therefore it is vital to get the bowels working, so we can rid our bodies of this toxic waste.

“More than 65 different health challenges are caused by a toxic colon” – The Royal Society of Medicine, UK

Elimination, doing a good old number 2, is the primary way that the body gets rid of wastes and toxins. The aim of a good cleanse is to get the body to bowel to have not just one, but 3 to 5 big bowel motions a day. You should never go a day without having a good bowel motion, if you find you do, you must do something about it.

Dry William Lantz M.D successfully treated 472 patients suffering from allergies by cleansing the bowel

If nursing taught me one thing, it that one must keep their bowels healthy. agree that chronic diseases such as autoimmune disease, chronic fatigue and breast cancer start in the bowels and so regular elimination is incredibly important to establishing and maintaining health. For this reason it is perhaps not surprising that the most constipated nation on Earth - the USA - is also the sickest and the fattest!

In the same way as you may be able to inspect the finished item on a production line and detect faults in the manufacturing process, examining the stool can reveal an awful lot about the efficiency of the digestive processes and your body's response to particular foods. And who is better placed to interpret these signs on a day-to-day basis than you - once you know how.

This is a Gut before and after cleansing & hydration. I have seen hundreds of colonoscopies and I can tell you, most of us have a bowel that looks like the before shot.

A good nutrition program uses foods that are symbiotic, meaning they work together to bring out the best in each other, for maximum nourishment.

Cleansing, it is like a shampoo for the digestive tract.Ideally once you have done one or two good cleanses you can keep your gut clean using a clean food high fiber (vegetable) diet and cleansing superfoods.

Cleansing foods, herbs and water are how we support and enhance the body’s natural detoxification systems. Toxins are in food and the environment, they build up in our system because of our insufficient ability to rid the body of all that we are exposed to on a daily basis.

Cleansing foods are Psyllium Husk, Linseed, Flaxseed, Aloe Vera, Fennel seed, Peppermint leaf, Bentonite Clay, Licorice root, Fenugreek seed, Ginger root, Tumeric & Apple, just to name a few.

Nourish your body

Support the natural cleansing processes of the intestines, liver and kidneys by eating the proper amounts of dietary fiber each day.We need to make sure that your digestive tract can maximize its absorption of nutrients available from the foods you eat and supplements you take. A lack of digestive enzymes is often the problem with intestinal problems, indigestion, and bloating. Because I have been bloated my whole life, I take a digestive formula that nourishes my gut .I love Omega's for lubrication of my blood cells, my heart, brain and joints.

There are some awesome essential oils, such as Evening Primrose oil, Tumeric oil, and Olive oil which are natural antioxidants, antibiotics and antivirals beneficial for immunity and strength.

Personally, I enjoy a high fat diet with loads of omega's, and vegetables, so I don't need any supplements. Nourishing foods are organic oily fish and organic bone broths, organic meat, vegetables, especially greens like kale, spinach and parsley, plus superfoods full of vitamins, especially B vitamins, Omega's and fatty acids. There is a big list of maintenance foods below, with links to descriptions.

Protect your cells and bodyI believe we need to eat and drink loads of antioxidants, which are like cleaning power houses when it comes to cleaning up the oxidants and waste products in our system. I also drink really clean water, with antioxidant properties, as you all know, am really passionate about my water!

Air pollution, alcohol, drugs, radiation from televisions and computers, chemicals and a busy life generate free radicals, which cause “oxidative stress”. Free radicals attack all your vital cellular structures, such as cell membranes and stimulate processes that have been linked to accelerated cellular aging.An antioxidant's job is to neutralize the free radical cells thus protecting the cells in our body from accelerated aging. By neutralizing the free radicals, these once free radical cells are able to assist with nutritional distribution, proper circulation and overall better health.Protection comes from antioxidants, molecular hydrogen, berries, grapes (wine is an antioxidant). Antioxidants are common in brightly coloured fruit and vegetables. I get my antioxidants from the molecular hydrogen in the water I drink.

Targeting body systems

You'll find by now many of your ailments will have subsided by just using the cleanse, maintain and protect principles. It is crazy ho often auto-immune illness and disorders such as Asthma, Eczema, Arthritis and Allergies subside when the gut is nourished.

For targeting body systems a good program will use blends of herbs, spices and nutrients to basically cleanse, maintain and protect target areas of the body. I will explain these in more detail in the my next document, the 5 minute Wellness Program.

Many medicines in scientific medicine are synthetic versions of herbal medicines.These plants are selected using an age old philosophy, Ancient herbal and Natural medicines are based on the The Doctrine of Signatures (DOS). This is the belief that every food and plant shares characteristics with whatever organ or body part it's helpful in treating. The characteristic might be a unique shape, color, taste or even its growing location.This may sound crazy, you may laugh, I did. I was fascinated to find there is quite a lot of interesting literature on the topic.

Even if it's just for your amusement, check out some examples of Signatures. Look for the suggestions for your ailments. Add them to your diet... who knows!

There are several types of plant and food signatures: color, shape, taste, texture and growing location.

Here are some examples:

Carrots: When sliced, carrots resemble a human eye. According to a National Institutes of Health (PubMed) abstract, carrots are a good source of carotenoids which support eye health.

Tomatoes: A tomato has four distinct areas resembling the four chambers of the human heart. Tomatoes contain lycopene, a substance that research shows may help reduce the risk of heart disease, although more study is needed.

Walnuts: The meat of a walnut closely resembles the human brain. Walnuts are a good source of vitamin E. A study cited by WorldHealth.net concludes that vitamin E may help protect against Alzheimer's and other cognitive brain disorders.

Beets: Beets deep red color resembles human blood. A PubMed abstract concludes beet juice may lower blood pressure and decrease the risk of heart disease.Figs: Figs resemble male testes. According to Dr. Spence Pentland, figs are a good source of folate, a nutrient necessary for sperm production.

Sweet Potatoes: Sweet potatoes are shaped like the human pancreas, an organ that helps maintain proper blood sugar levels. The American Diabetes Association lists sweet potatoes as a diabetes super food as part of a diet to maintain adequate blood sugar levels in the body.

Skullcap: Skullcap's flowers resemble small skulls and are believed to treat brain and nervous system disorders such as seizures and anxiety.

Burdock: This herb's reddish-purple flowers and stems resemble the color of blood. According to Reader's Digest's The Complete Illustrated Book of Herbs, burdock is used in Western herbal medicine to detoxify and purify the blood.

Yarrow: A popular battlefield herb due to its ability to stop bleeding and heal wounds, yarrow's spreading wiry stems and leaves resemble the human vascular system.

Healthy bowel function

The ideal is to have no digestive discomfort and to pass a well-formed stool at least once a day, and some say three times a day (once for each meal). The stool should be mid-brown, cylindrical, textured but not compacted and about the size and shape of banana. It should be easy to pass and can disperse in the toilet.

Three quarters of the stool is water and of the remaining quarter roughly:

• 30% is fibre• 20% living and dead bacteria• 20% fat• 15% inorganic material and• 15% undigested proteins

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Problems with 'going'

Those who have always enjoyed a good digestive system with regular problem-free bowel movements cannot imagine the distress that digestive problems can cause. The fact that you are reading this article, however, tells me that you are probably not one of them! The majority of people with digestive problems are thought never to seek professional help because of shame and embarrassment.When reading the following, please refer to the Bristol Stool Chart provided below which grades the stool from constipation (Type 1) to diarrhoea (Type 7).

“Nothing is so overrated as sex and so underrated as a good bowel movement.”Dr. Ted Loftness Constipation

Constipation is a common modern-day complaint and involves passing hard faeces irregularly and possibly with difficulty. Shown as types 1 and 2 on the stool chart, constipation is central to a lot of chronic ill health for two key reasons:

1. The slower the transit time and the less dietary fibre/fiber consumed, the more toxins excreted in the bile will be reabsorbed from the intestines causing a steady increase in toxicity in the body over time.

2. Products absorbed from the bowel are routed directly to the liver and so a congested bowel can burden the liver which slowly becomes unable to process toxins.These unheralded processes usher in nearly all serious, chronic and degenerative illnesses and reversing constipation is key to reestablishing health. DiarrhoeaThere are times when diarrhoea is the body's way of eliminating either a toxin or parasite as quickly as possible and unless becoming dehydrated, this process needs to be respected. However, regular diarrhoea is another matter entirely. Shown as types 6 and 7 on the stool chart, these loose stools prove more difficult to retain than a solid stool.

Paradoxically, long-term constipation can cause diarrhoea and faecal incontinence in several different ways. The first of these is that the muscles involved become stretched and lose tone over time. The second is that the body is not able to absorb water from the chyme through the faecal deposits on the colon walls and so the stool becomes progressively more liquid. The third is that the deposits mean that the colon cannot churn as intended and so muscular control of the passage of faecal material is lost.Many people find that they alternate between constipation and diarrhoea and this is known as irritable bowel syndrome and is estimated to affect approximately one in five people and more women than men although latest figures show a sharp increase in prevalence. Faecal incontinenceFaecal incontinence is the loss of control of the bowels and involuntary excretion and leaking are common occurrences for those affected. Many sufferers try to manage the problem themselves and nothing can render you housebound quite so effectively as occasional faecal incontinence and it is also one of the major reasons people ultimately need to go into care homes.

Whilst faecal incontinence can and does affect people of all ages, it is more common in older adults than in younger adults, but is not an inevitable part of aging. That is to say it is symptomatic of increasing toxicity with age. There are several reasons for loss of faecal continence including:

• A lack of sensory feedback which can cause difficulty with signalling the need to defecate. This can be the result of childbirth, long-term constipation, stroke, and diseases that cause nerve degeneration, such as diabetes and multiple sclerosis.

• A general loss of tone of the tissues with age which can cause the rectum to prolapse or protrude into the vagina in women.

• The automatic processes of relaxation of the sphincters and peristalsis of the rectum can become dysfunctional due to the absorption of toxins and toxic metals into the autonomic nervous system that serves this region.

• Congestion of the colon with faecal plaques as described above, this can be remedied with a course of colonic hydrotherapy.

• Dysfunction of the gall bladder caused by the presence of gallstones blocking the bile ducts or toxin absorption into the gall bladder itself from the bile preventing effective gall bladder contraction.

• Physical injury to one or both of the anal sphincters or controlling nerves as a result of a forceps delivery or episiotomy in women during childbirth or as a result of haemorrhoid or tumour surgery to adjacent tissues.

• There is also some evidence that anal sex may cause injury to the sphincters over time.

• Some treatments such as radiotherapy or surgery and some inflammatory bowel diseases may result in the bowel walls becoming stiff and losing elasticity and storage capacity.

How to interpret the signsThe table below gives the different possible explanations for the appearance and form of the stool.

Black, tarry and/or stickyBleeding from the stomach or duodenum - possibly due to an ulcer caused by taking ibuprofen or aspirin. Also eating black liquorice or blueberries, taking iron-containing supplements, medications containing bismuth such as Pepto-Bismol or exposure to lead.

Very dark brownDrinking red wine or consuming too much salt and too few vegetables. Red Eating beetroot or other red-coloured foods such as tomatoes or foods containing red food colouring.

Light greenEating green foods like spinach and lettuce or foods containing green food colouring. Can also be caused by consuming too much sugar, or too many fruits and vegetables with not enough grains or salt.

Pale or clay-colouredMinimal amounts of bile are being excreted, possibly due to liver and gall stones blocking flow or dysfunction of the gall bladder or liver. This can occasionally be caused by parasites blocking the bile ducts and some medications also reduce bile production.

YellowCan indicate coeliac disease or gluten intolerance. Yellow, oily bowel movements indicate that the body is not properly digesting fats or that the diet contains excessive amounts of fat.

Bloody or mucous-coveredRed blood usually indicates a problem with the colon, rectum or anus such as haemorrhoids, colitis, diverticulitis, colon cancer or Crohn's disease but could also indicate an overgrowth of bacteria or a parasitic infection in the colon.

Thin and/or ribbon-likeA polyp, growth or restriction in the colon may be narrowing the alimentary canal.

Large and floating, with a greasy film on the toilet waterYour bile and digestive enzymes are not functioning efficiently, seek professional help or try supplementing digestive enzymes.

Small, hard, round pellets or compacted lumpsTypes 1 and 2 in the stool chart indicate constipation possibly caused by too much dry food or protein, and insufficient vegetables and raw foods. Can also be the result of laxative abuse, anxiety and food intolerances - most commonly dairy. Pharmaceutical drugs such as codeine and iron supplements are also constipating. Lack of exercise and change of diet may also be a cause.

Loose, watery and with undigested foodstuffsType 7 on the stool chart. Causes include: food poisoning; food intolerances; consuming cured or smoked meat, spicy foods, excessive amounts of fruit or indigestible fats such as Olestra; prescription medications such as antibiotics, antacids or the fat-absorbing drug, Orlistat; changes in the diet; stress, anxiety or travel; inflammatory bowel disease; cystic fibrosis and a protozoal parasitic infection.

Alternating bouts of diarrhoea and constipation'Irritable bowel syndrome' caused by food intolerances most often to gluten-containing grains and dairy products. Try excluding both food groups to monitor the results. Can also be caused by red meat, spices, sugar, alcohol, lack of fibre, parasitic infections such as worms and an erratic lifestyle and relationships. Smells really bad Either eating too much spicy food or protein which putrefies in your digestive tract, or a lack of friendly bacteria.

Gas and bloatingConsuming difficult to digest foods such as legumes, raw fruits and vegetables, raisins, corn, capsicum peppers and milk; overeating; consuming indigestible sugars such as sorbitol; eating foods to which you are intolerant; candidal overgrowth in the colon will ferment refined carbohydrates, sugars and yeast-containing foods as will parasitic infections; insufficient digestive enzymes and particularly stomach acid; antibiotics and some other medications; swallowing air when eating or chewing gum and drinking carbonated drinks.

Foul smelling flatulenceThe higher your diet is in sulphur-containing foods such as cauliflower, cabbage, eggs and meat, the worse the odour. Soft, fluffy, falls apart easily Types 5 and 6 as shown on the stool chart. Tending towards diarrhoea. 'Wet wind' Food intolerances; parasitic or yeast infections; inadequate digestive enzymes.

Hints and tipsSuggestions for normalising bowel function include:

• Defecate when your body prompts you to do so if at all possible. Delaying will dull the all the responses and cause stretching of the rectum.

• In proper function, you will only defecate when relaxed because it is a function governed by the parasympathetic nervous system - so allow yourself some down time - ideally after a meal.

• Do not use laxatives and pharmaceutical products to treat constipation or diarrhoea as these cause long term dysfunction of the digestive system. Instead, address the cause(s) as revealed in the table above.

• Keep a food diary and try and work out which foods are particularly beneficial, and which cause problems. Muscle testing foods may help with this. Typically gluten causes loose bowel movements and dairy products constipate.

• When bowel habits are really erratic, it can be helpful to supplement meal replacement powders only for a few days in order to reestablish order and then to reintroduce foods slowly observing and documenting the results.

• Having a low foot stool available in the bathroom enables you to raise your knees when defecating. This position unkinks the rectum and is the more natural squatting position we were intended to use allowing for greater evacuation than in the sitting position to which we have all become accustomed.

• Occasional use of a home enema kit can help to clear out the bowel contents if constipated or detoxing.

• Drinking hot water with a slice of lemon each morning helps to stimulate a bowel movement.

• A little exercise first thing such as the yoga 'Salute to the sun' routine can promote evacuation and generally get you ready for the day.

• After an initial course of colonic hydrotherapy, regular maintenance visits ideally quarterly at the change of seasons will keep your bowels clean and functioning well. If undergoing a detox or experiencing symptoms you may want to attend more regularly. This will help with both constipation and diarrhoea.

• A good abdominal massage can get things moving. Work in clockwise circles (with your abdomen as the face of the clock).

• Tapping the alarm points (a few inches/centimetres) either side of the navel and rubbing the sides of the thighs vigorously will help to stimulate a bowel movement if sluggish.

• Ensure that you take some sort of exercise or are active every day. A walk will help to get and to keep things moving.

• Try to eat healthy whole food meals at regular times to regulate intestinal function.

• Ensure that you are getting enough natural fibre in the form of whole grains such as brown rice (if tolerated), vegetables and fruits. Fibre will bulk out the stool, regulate both diarrhoea and constipation and allow the elimination of toxins.

• Drink plenty of water to prevent intestinal blockage from excess fibre and to prevent diarrhoea.

• Eat foods known to stimulate digestive enzymes, including brown rice and pungent foods such as garlic, ginger and onions.

• Avoid foods and drinks containing caffeine which relaxes the internal anal sphincter muscle if diarrhoea or incontinence are an issue.

• Eat fermented foods such as miso and live yoghurt to replenish the beneficial bacteria in your gut or supplement friendly bacteria.

• Supplement digestive enzymes to see whether they aid digestion. You may only need to take in association with a protein meal.

• Pharmaceuticals such as antibiotics, the contraceptive pill and codeine are all recognised to interfere with normal bowel function. Review the drugs you are taking if experiencing problems.

• Actually sit upright and pay attention to your food while you eat. Set aside some time to eat and digest and don't eat 'on the run'.

• Reduce stress by taking up some form of exercise or meditation.• A liver flush will help to eliminate gallstones enabling the production of bile.• In the long term, a program of detoxification will eventually restore proper

function as the toxins are pulled from the tissues and nerves controlling digestive function and the processes of defecation.

“There is no natural death. All deaths come from so called natural causes are merely the end point of progressive acid saturation. Many people go so far as to consider that sickness and disease are just a ‘cross’ or an element that God gave them to bear here on this earth. However if they would take care of their body and cleanse their colon and intestines, their problems would be pretty much eliminated” Dr. George C Crile, Head of the Crile Clinic, Cleveland, one of the world’s greatest surgeons

As you can see, keeping your colon clean is essential to a happy and healthy life. If you would like to experience a supported bowel cleanse, then you will love my 5 Minute Wellness Program. This is aimed at healthy living and preparation to go into a well supported bowel cleanse and liver flush.

It is important to have some support, as sometimes you will need extra help ridding the body of toxins. Everyone is different and what suits one person may not be ideal for another. Support is essential when cleansing and one must cleanse and nourish the mind when flushing out the toxins, as various emotions and feelings are bound to surface.

My programs focus on the individuals requirements. My cleanses are not generic. They are tailor made to suit you. I place a high value on mind nutrition and mind power when doing the cleanse, because toxic thoughts are as just as unhealthy for our body as toxic foods.

It is the most amazing experience I have ever had, which is why I am so passionate about helping others. Please let me know when you are ready to get started.

Please contact me when you are ready to get started. Big hugs Manda.