Digestion is the process by which the body breaks down the food we eat into usable components. Our bodies use food similarly as a car engine uses gas and this gives us the energy needed to live. When we put food into our mouths digestion has already started because digestion means breaking food down into smaller molecules!

Your body depends on the breakdown of foods to get the nutrients it needs for healthy cells. If food sits too long in the stomach it can become toxic, recalculate throughout the body and cause illness. Follow these steps to improve digestion so that your entire body will function at optimal performance.

Digestion affects all facets of health. Your body depends on the breakdown of foods to get the nutrients it needs for healthy cells. If food sits too long in the stomach it can become toxic, recalculate throughout the body and cause illness. Follow these steps to improve digestion so that your entire body will function at optimal performance.

1. Try eating your meals with chopsticks. Although this may seem frustrating at first, in time you will adjust and learn how to maneuver food with ease and will consume meals slowly and take smaller bites. Eating with chopsticks controls your eating pace and bites size, and forces you to eat with more attention.

2. Exercise daily to increase movement within your bowels and improve your digestive health. Daily activity improves the natural rhythm of your digestive system and assists in moving food through your digestive system.

3. Take digestive enzymes with every meal to improve your digestive health. Digestive enzymes improve your nutrient extraction from the foods you consume and aid in the prevention of bloating, gas and digestive distress.

4. Choose fresh, organic foods instead of canned or boxed foods that contain harsh preservatives and very little nutrients or vitamins. Combine cooked and raw foods, such as a fresh salad and steamed carrots, to incorporate necessary and vital enzymes for proper digestion.

5. Drink lots of water. Water helps remove toxins from the digestive tract and helps prevent constipation which slows down digestion.

6. Relax for at least 30 minutes after eating meals. Your digestive organs need a large portion of your total blood volume to digest food. It cannot use that blood if you are active after a meal because the blood goes instead to your muscles.

7. Take vitamin C. These supplements act as antihistamines and ease inflammation in the digestive tract. Vitamin C also helps the gastrointestinal tract to rid itself of toxins produced during food digestion.

Natural Remedies: – Many herbal and homeopathic remedies have been formulated with specific ingredients to promote gentle food breakdown and support the digestive system. Filipendula ulmaria is a soothing digestive remedy which helps to protect the digestive tract and reduce excess stomach acid.

I have’nt mentioned about my bow-not-so-well movements moments for the past few months, have I? Tonics, Capsules, Churans all gulped and passed, down the drain…not to mention, money.

Mornings were’nt as happy and a good night’s sleep was always interrupted.

Mummy had started her pravachan, so did my girlfriend. I know you care gals  :*

All i had to do was a  root cause analysis of the problem:

1. Timings of the opening of the floodgates.

2. Frequency: That is confidential.

3.  Ingestion habits. Bye Bye Vada Pav.

4.  Exercise :  Gotta clean my sport shoes…Ahem.

Enough.

Then i figured out that the water supply that the ever caring Pune Municipal Corporation had been catering was the reason behind the tummy trouble and the one between my behinds.

Introducing my alimentary canal’s best friend, PureIt. :

BTW, sorry for the literal CRAP. 

Cumin is the dried seed of the herb Cuminum cyminum, a member of the parsley family. Cumin seeds resemble caraway seeds, being oblong in shape, longitudinally ridged, and yellow-brown in colour.

The health benefits of cumin include treatment against digestion, piles, insomnia, respiratory disorders, asthma, bronchitis, common cold and many other problems. I am just talking about few of the above-mentioned benefits offered by cumin seeds.

Cumin Seeds - Aromatic, Nutritious & Healing

Cumin is extremely good for digestion and related problems. Its aroma comes from an organic compound called Cuminaldehyde. It activates our salivary glands in our mouth (the irresistible flavour), enabling the primary digestion of the food. Another compound present in cumin is thymol, which gives similar effects to the glands that secrete acids, bile and enzymes responsible for complete digestion of the food.

Constipation is the primary reason behind piles, added with it are infections in the wound in the anal tract, which is also caused by constipation. Cumin, because of its dietary fiber content and carminative, stimulating, anti fungal and anti microbial properties, acts as a natural laxative in powdered form. It helps healing up of infections or wounds in the digestive & excretory system.

Cumin seeds are a stimulant as well as a relaxant at the same time. Studies & results prove that a requisite intake of vitamins and a complete digestion help induce a sound sleep. Cumin Seeds help in performing both the above activities.

Since caffeine & richly aromatic essential oils are present in cumin, these seeds are ideal as an anti congestive for those suffering from respiratory disorders such as Asthma, Bronchitis etc.

Cumin seeds also does not let cough formation in the respiratory system as it is supposed to be quite hot and dries up the excess mucus. Cumin is rich in iron and has considerable amount of vitamin-C, which are necessary for a good immunity and keeps infections away.

Organic Cumin Seed

Cumin being very rich in iron, it can be a nutritious additive to daily diet for anaemic people. This is because the cumin seeds can help in treating the deficiency of haemoglobin.

It is well known that vitamin-E is good for skin. It keeps the skin young and glowing. This vitamin is also present in abundance in cumin. The essential oils present in this have disinfectant and anti fungal properties. This prevents any microbial and fungal infection from affecting the skin.

As discussed above, abundance of iron, presence of essential oils and vitamin-C & vitamin-A in cumin boosts up our immune system.

Cumin is also beneficial in treating renal coli, weak memory or lack of concentration, insect bites and sting etc.

Use Cumin Seeds For A Nourished & Healthy Body.

Save 5% on Cumin Seeds and any other product when you buy them at VitaPal.com by clicking here with this code – 5pAPRIL406

The betel plant is a slim, fragrant creeper. It is rooting at the nodes. The plant has alternate, heart-shaped, smooth, shining and long stalked betel leaves, with pointed apex. Betel leaf has a documented use for more than two thousand years in various parts of Asia.

Betel Leaf contains a host of minerals and vitamin contents such as calcium, carotene, riboflavin, niacin, thiamine and vitamin C. Recent studies have also shown that betel leaves contain tannins, sugar and diastases and an essential oil. This essential oil is a light yellow liquid of aromatic odour. It has a sharp burning taste. It contains a phenol called chavicol that has potent antiseptic properties.

Betel Leaf helps in proper digestion

Benefits Of Betel Leaf

The betel leaf has analgesic and cooling attributes. It can relieve strong headaches with good results.  It is also a valuable remedy for boils. Betel leaves are useful in the treatment of nervous pains, nervous exhaustion and weakness. The juice of a few betel leaves, with a teaspoon of honey, will act as a good tonic.

Betel leaf juice is enriched with diuretic properties. Its juice, mixed with dilute milk and sweetened slightly, helps in easing urination. The leaves soaked in mustard oil and warmed, may be applied to the chest to cure cough and breathing difficulties.

The leaves are effective in treating sore throat. The betel leaves are quite helpful in treating inflammation such as arthritis.

Betel leaves are well known to heal wounds. The juice of a few leaves should be extracted and applied on the wound. Then a betel leaf should be wrapped over and bandaged. The wound will heal up within a couple of days.

The paan is made using betel leaves in Asia. The Ayurvedic physicians prescribe it as an aphrodisiac. The betel leaves are chewed together with betel nut as a masticator.

Spicy and Nutritious Betel Leaves

A paan in its simplest form has a sliced betel nut is wrapped in a betel leaf, smeared with lime and chewed. However most often, clove and other spices such as cinnamon and cardamom are added. When chewed after meals, it refreshes the breath and acts as a gentle stimulant.

Chewing the leaves of this herb while increasing the flow of saliva, also, protects against intestinal parasites. Quite a few studies have even revealed the anti-oxidant properties of the leaf.

Precaution With Betel Leaves

The betel leaf, by itself, has no adverse affects, as is otherwise generally believed to be so.  It is only when chewed excessively with tobacco that they prove harmful and can lead to the formation of cancer. Other ill effects that excessive & repetitive tobacco pan chewing might effect include dyspepsia, pyorrhoea, cancer of the tongue and cheeks. However just chewing betel leaves will not cause any adverse health problems.

Betel Leaves are a bit difficult to get in the western part of the world, though with the rise of various speciality food shops catering to the needs of the people from Asia, it will soon hopefully be available.  Dried betel leaves may be available online mainly from suppliers in Europe.

Click Here To Buy Dried Betel Leaf Online

Enjoy the betel leaf and reap its remarkable benefits.

Stress?

Body Pain and Tension?

Difficulty Eating Certain Foods?

A Visit to a Specialized Kinesiologist would help!

Call Leah for an appt.

(204) 783-1043         (cell) 227-3964

Good morning, dear friends

Ah, during this part of the year when we have so many festivals and holiday feasting – Winter Solstice Festival, Christmas, New Year parties – there is a thought that is bound to be on most people’s mind ===> that “we have certainly indulged ourselves with all the yummy food and may need to go on diet soon!”

Some would go on crash diets for days and weeks after their partying is over! However, this will not be very good as this method will actually backfire later on and the pounds shed will come back on again.

Some will be very hardworking – they will actually exercise more to burn off those extra weight that they have put on during the holidays, which is the right way to go and will be very effective when they also eat lighter, healthier meals at the same time.

Thus, it is all a matter of juggling and balancing our food intake and exercises. It helps if we know that 3,500 calories makes up 1 pound and 2.2 pounds equals 1 kilogramme.

I would like to share with you this article on the Lemon Juice Diet that came out in my newspapers a few weeks ago, and thought that it really made a lot of sense in helping us to lose weight. This is not the same thing as the Lemon Juice Cleanse or Master Cleanser (that was introduced by Stanley Burroughs) which requires a fast of lemon juice and saline liquids for 2 weeks (I won’t be able to fast on liquids like this!)

Read on and see for yourself how this works….

The Lemon Juice Diet by Louise Atkinson, The Star Newspaper, 18 December, 2007

DRINK lemon juice with warm water every morning to stimulate your digestive system.

Hoping to lose a few pounds before Christmas and New Year but gloomy about your chances of success with conventional diets? Then lemons could be the answer!

In a new book, The Lemon Juice Diet, leading health writer Therese Cheung suggests that the reason why so many of us battle with our weight is because our digestive systems are not working properly – and that the conventional dieting tends to excarbate that.

However, including lemons in your diet – both JUICE and PEEL – will boost your digestion and if you also eat healthily and exercise, can help you lose weight.

“Research seems to show that if your digestive system is not working correctly, healthy weight-loss is almost impossible,” saus Cheung. “The problem is that poor digestion can stop your body getting the nutrients it needs to burn fats. It can also cause a buildup of toxins in your body, leaving you feeling sluggish and depressed.

“This, in turn, slows down your metabolism, making any weight-loss goals unattainable.”

Furthermore, she says, if your body isn’t absorbing the right nutrients, then no matter how overweight you are, it thinks it is malnourished and constantly craves nutrients, telling you that you are hungry when you are not!

The solution is LEMONS. “When it comes to boostings the body’s digestive and detox systems, lemon is a natural powerhouse, ” says Cheung.

Lemons are rich in citric acid (at 7 to 8 %, they have the highest concentration of all the fruits), which, she explains, “combines in a complex interaction with other acids and enzymes to ensure healthy and problem-free digestion by stimulating stomach juices.”

“Thanks to its acidity, even a little lemon juice can improve your digestion and lower the impact of any meal on your blood sugar,” she adds.

The pectin in lemon – found in the peel – is a great source of fibre that helps weight loss by turning into a sticky gel when you digest it, preventing your stomach from absorbing sugar too quickly.

A study published in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition found pectin can eliminate the urge to eat for up to four hours , because after eating it you tend to feel satisfied for longer.

Lemon juice is also one of the most food sources of Vitamin C. Not only is this great for warding off colds, but a recent research at Arizona State University suggests that people who eat fruit and vegetables high in vitamin C have more efficient digestive systems and are more likely to lose weight that those who don’t.

In addition, lemon juices increases the acidity of the digestive system. This helps the body absorb calcium, which is then stored in fat cells. Research has shown that the more calcium there is in a fat cell, the more fat the cell burns.

It seems the humble lemon could be a powerful aid to digestion, and a useful diet booster.

But it’s not a case of eating only lemons: the good news is that you can eat perfectly normal foods on this diet, including cheese and other proteins, You can even have chocolate ice-cream!

You can also eat as much as you like of the right sort of foods: there is no calorie caounting involved. All you have to do is make sure that at least one meal a day includes lemon ===> either a squirt of juice or some peel.

The Lemon Juice Diet advocates a simple healthy-eating plan based on 7 principles, If you combine these 7 principles with an exercise regime involving 20 minutes of aerobic activity five or six days a week, within just a week you should start feeling healthier and your clothes will be looser.

By week two, you will be dropping pounds…

The 7 Principles

1) Drink lemon juice with warm water every morning. Starting the day with the juice of a lemon in a glass of warm water will stimulate your digestive system.

2) Eat at least 5 portions of fruits and vegetables a day. All vegetables and most fruits are low-calorie nutritional powerhouses, rich in vitamins, minerals, fibre and nutrients that can boost immunity, balance hormones, calm the nervous system, aid digestion, and help weight loss.

3) Balance your blood sugar levels. Irritability, poor concentration, fatique and headaches are all symptoms of fluctuating blood sugar levels; which can make you crave sweet and fattening foods. When the blood sugar levels swing too high, so does insulin. This hormone helps shuttle blood sugar (Glucose) into your cells to be uses as energy. In other words, it promotes fat storage.

Sprinkling lemon juice over your meal can be enough to lower the blood sugar impact by as much as 30 % – use it in all your cooking.

Eat protein with each meal, as it steadies your blood sugar by delaying the absorption of carbohydrates and fats. Eating 5 or 5 times a day will combat food cravings.

4) Cut down on sugar-rich foods. This will give you a brief high, followed by a big slump and leave you feeling edgy and tired. Refined foods – such as white bread, white rice, instant potatoes and corn flakes – can act like sugar in your system, and end up being stored as fat. Instead, stick to whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and protein.

5) Forget low fat – your body needs some fat to lose weight. Unsaturated fats can help with weight loss by delaying the passage of carbohydrates into your bloodstream, keeping blood sugar levels stable and insulin down.

Increase your consumption of Omega-3 and Omega-6 essential fatty acids, found in nuts, seeds and oily fish, and unsaturated fat found in extra virgin olive oil.

6) Eat lots of fresh whole foods. Switch from processed to whole foods to boost your intake of the nutrients your body needs for weight loss. Whole foods such as beans, pulses and lentils also contain fibre, which stimulates the digestive system and can slow down the conversion of carbohydrates into glucose.

Best of all, whole food are free of hidden sugar and chemicals that overload your liver, making it hard for your body to digest food and burn fat. Choose brown pasta, wholegrain bread and cereals, vegetables, fruit, fresh soups, smoothies and juices (not from concentrate), and eat a salad with every meal.

7) Slow things down. Eat slowly and chew properly. Chewing relaxes the lower stomach muscle and triggers nerve messages that activates the digestive process. If food is not properly chewed, nutrients remain locked in and undigested.

Your stomach and intestines are sensitive to stress. When you feel anxious, digestion will shut down, leaving food partially digested. So, finding ways to manage stress is not only important to your emotional health, but your digestive health, too.

Note -If you suffer from heartburn, kidney or gall-bladder problems, or have a citric allergy, consult your GP before going on this diet.

Happy Dieting!

Here is a picture of my Lemon Juice Drink that I had made for myself yesterday. See the little bits of lemon peel floating at the top? I decided to chop the lemon peel up so that as I drink my lemon juice, I can also eat the peel. I had also added a tablespoon of honey to make this drink tastier. Be sure to put cold water into your glass of lemon juice, then only top up with a little hot water to make a warm lemon juice drink! Hot water will destroy the Vitamin C in the lemon juice as well as the nutrients in the honey!

This morning, I made myself another glass of warm lemon juice but without the honey added and wow, did it perk me up!  

Have a wonderful weekend!