Monthly Archives: October 2017

Problems pooping?

Have you been experiencing pooping or in medical terms – have you experienced ‘constipation’ much recently? Its nothing to be embarrassed about but it is a topic that needs to be addressed.

Poopin is essential for eliminating waste, toxins and for helping the gastrointestinal tract work in favor of what’s ‘inside’ the body. ( I put the word inside in inverted commas, because technically the GI tract is not inside the body ). Constipation has been associated with Parkinson’s disease, colon cancer, kidney disease, hemorrhoids and other health illnesses. In an ideal situation you would poop 1-2 times daily with ease. It’s also not unusual to feel back pain or IBS like cramps with chronic constipation. The number of stools you have each week is closely linked to the types of food you eat, the amount of exercise you get and your hydration status. While many people may have a bowel movement each day, the normal amount ranges between four times each week to several times a day – there can be quite a difference depending on your lifestyle.

Unfortunately, lately, I am seeing more and more people telling me they are having issues with bowel movements. So hopefully this article can address this and give so helpful tips on how to poop not only more regularly but easily too 🙂 .

There are many choices that you make each day that increase your risk of developing chronic constipation. One is learned constipation, as your rectum is flexible and can stretch. In a study using college students, researchers found participants could easily train themselves to evacuate their bowels every 51 hours instead of every 28, leading the scientists to conclude bowel habits may induce constipation. Other factors that may cause constipation are —-

• Low fiber diet
• Dehydration – not drinking enough water
• Insufficient good fats in your diet
• Poor nutrition
• Lack of regular movement or exercise
• Changes in your routine or enviroment
• Avoiding pooping when you have the urge
• Certain medications
• Iron supplements
• Frequent use of laxatives

• One of the most popular short-term natural supplements that is effective against constipation is magnesium. I recommend magnesium citrate as this is the form that has the most effect on your intestinal tract and helps produce loose stools. ( If you are taking magnesium supplements for other health reasons though, I also like magnesium threonate as it appears to more effectively penetrate your cell membranes and boost your mitochondrial health, thus boosting your energy levels ).
• Epsom salt bath or magnesium sulphate, again this is the same idea as above but by adding about 1 cup of pure Epsom salt to a hot bath and soaking in it for about 20 minutes, can help get things moving.
• Swap out processed foods for whole, high-fiber foods, such as leafy green vegetables, almonds, squash and broccoli. These foods feed your gut microbiome, reduce your vulnerability to infection and promote softer stools that keep your intestinal walls intact.
• Aim for 1 gallon or 3.4 liters of water a day. Coffee can act as a mild diuretic too.
• Avoid sugars, artificial sweeteners, gluten, lectins and toxins like Glyphosate and Atrazine as these can damage the gastrointestinal cell wall.
• MOVE! Movement helps increase the motility in your digestive tract and can stimulate the urge to have a bowel movement.
• When you feel the urge to poop, don’t wait. The longer the poop sits in your colon, the more water is removed and the more difficult it is to pass.
• Incorporate fermented foods like Kombucha, Kimchi and Sauerkraut to help “reseed” your gut with good bacteria that will help you regain and maintain bowel regularity.
• Fish oil – experts suggest that if we aren’t eating enough omega-3 fats we may be more likely to be constipated.  If you don’t eat much oily fish such as salmon, you might try a supplement. I recommend Krill oil as it has minimal Mercury and is eco friendly. Look for the IVO cert on the bottle for purification and integrity of product. https://ivopure.org/
• Use a stool or Squatty Potty – when you squat, your knees are brought closer to your abdomen, which promotes a good relationship between your rectum and sphincter, positioning your organs and muscles in a way that relaxes your rectum. This maximizes the efficiency of your elimination.
• Dandelion tea carries a history of treating a range of digestion issues, including both constipation and diarrhea. Dandelion root not only has mild laxative and diuretic qualities, but it also appears to promote healthy bacterial function in the digestive tract.
• Psyllium husk provides a big fiber punch, helps bulk stool and has a minimal impact on insulin. The powder must be mixed in with water and drunk rather quickly, as it forms a thick sort of gel as the fiber absorbs the water.

I really hope you found this helpful. If you are following a low carb diet and are experiencing constipation this is not unusual. As people sometimes don’t realize that the norm on a low-carb diet is to double or triple the amount of non-starchy vegetables to be eaten. Also adding Chia seeds to salads and soups can increase the fiber content. As can using Psyllium husk as a thickening agent in soups, chilis and gravies 😉

Strep throat…..and treatment

Guess what I have right now…….I had to reschedule all tonights client sessions because – yep you guessed it, I have strep throat #notimpressed!

So I figured that seems as I have the evening off, I might as well do something productive and put together a little information to help future victims of this deadly disease 😉 . It came on so quickly – I felt a slight irritation in my throat this morning and before I knew it I had throat, ear and head pain. Literally in the space of 4 hours my irritation grew into this monster of pain. Of course I immediatley set to work on it with as many biohacks as I could – the above picture is a grounding patch on the area that is most painful (Yes I do have crazy Irish freckles). Grounding is well renowned for improving inflammation, blood flow, headache relief, reduction of pain and more. Did it work? Read to the end to find out xo

What is STREP THROAT?
Strep throat is a contagious infection caused by group A streptococcus bacteria (Streptococcus pyogenes) that can be passed from one person to another via close contact. If you’re experiencing throat pain, difficulty swallowing, swollen tonsils and lymph nodes, fever, headache, rashes, ear and body aches, and/or nausea, then watch out: you might already have a case of strep throat.
While strep throat may seem like a nightmare because of the pain that it inflicts, the disease can heal in two to five days, up to a week when you use natural methods. Antibiotics are the conventional method used to treat strep throat, but this class of medicines can set you up for more health risks that you might be unaware of.

What is the best treatment for strep throat?
Aside from antibiotics, over-the-counter painkillers such as acetaminophen and ibuprofen are also used to relieve strep throat but really not something I recommend. Capzasin cream would be a better alternative to massaging into the affected area – which uses the power of the pepper to bring localized pain relief to specific areas.
These simple strategies can also help:

• Drink warm liquids such as lemon water and teas for their antibacterial properties and antioxidants
• Drink cold liquids to numb the throat
• Turn on a cool-mist humidifier – add some tea tree or eucalyptus oil if you have some
• Use wild cherry bark lozenges – just don’t go for sugar-based lozenges
• Add 1/2 teaspoon of Himalayan salt to 1 cup of water, and gargle the mixture
• Suck on a teaspoon of Organic Raw Honey or Organic Elderberry syrup (Honey is better though)
• Have a hot Epsom salt bath – the magnesium will help ease pain (my answer to nearly everything lol)
• Take a shot of Apple Cider Vinegar in the morning, afternoon and before bed – this therapeutic amount will help kill bad bacteria and support your good bacteria in fighting the good fight!

You can also relieve pain from strep throat or even prevent future pain by practicing Grounding or walking barefoot on the earth, which can work against inflammation.

Natural pain relievers are also reliable. Not only are they inexpensive and available near you, but they also have little to no harmful side effects. Some I like to use are:

• Ginger: This herb treats pain, settles the stomach, and boasts of anti-inflammatory properties. You can add fresh ginger and steep it in boiling water, or grate and add to yogurt or soup.
• Boswellia: Also called boswellin or “Indian frankincense,” this herb has anti-inflammatory ingredients.
• Bromelain: This enzyme, which has anti-inflammatory properties, is found in pineapple. It’s available in supplement form, but you can eat fresh pineapple, including some of the stem since this is where the enzyme is abundant but remember the sugar content in this fruit – especially if you have blood glucose issues.
• Cinnamon and Turmeric: These spices have anti inflammatory properties and antimicrobial. Cinnamon has been found to stop the growth of fungi and bacteria. While Turmeric contains Bioactive Compounds with powerful medicinal properties that help fight infection. ( Don’t forget your black pepper too which when combined with spices increases its absorption rate by up to 2000% !)

Right so I’m off to make a Turmeric Cinnamon tea while I continue to ground. I hope you can use some of the tools or hacks above to help with your next throat infection xo

Oh and yes I do believe the grounding patch has helped, I will continue to wear it for the remainder of the evening. Feel free to email me if you are curious about how it progressed 🙂 .