Don’t worry, I’m not the hapless victim of physical abuse. I just underwent Aramsa Spa’s new slimming treatment, Shape Up!, designed to get rid of stubborn fat. Now if ever there was a word to describe my body fat, it would be “stubborn”, so I was really excited to give this treatment a try.

The 150-minute treatment started with the therapist, Jane, washing my feet with a relaxing combination of warm water and sea salt, putting me in an instant state of calm. This is followed by scrubbing my body down with a grapefruit scrub. Grapefruit is apparently great for breaking down fat; but what impressed me more was how silky soft my skin appeared after washing off the scrub.

Before the treatment, let the therapist know which are the “problem areas” you want her to focus on.

For my massage, Jane used a thermal ampoule (a blend of capsicum extract, sea salt and Vitamin E) as the massage oil. These ingredients were chosen as they are able to penetrate deep into the skin to detoxify the lymph node system, as well as break down fat and cellulite. This oil feels quite hot when applied on skin, so if you have sensitive skin, you may want to opt for the cold ampoule instead. Unlike typical massages that are gentle and soothing, this massage uses strong, vigorous strokes. It was as if Jane was literally trying to wring the fat from my body. At times, it felt like I was a soaking wet towel being twisted and kneaded in a dryer, but I gritted my teeth, telling myself to focus of the end result. After the massage, Jane placed a heated ginger ball on my tummy, explaining that its medicinal heat will help alleviate symptoms of indigestion, constipation and muscle cramps.

After the treatment, I felt like my tummy, butt and thighs had become much firmer (ie: less jiggling) and over the next few days, I definitely felt less gassy compared to before. While my body does feel achy and sore, it’s the good kind of ache; the kind you get after a really good workout.

Aramsa Spa’s Shape Up! programme is available from $298. Call 6456 6556 to make an appointment. 

When we get acid reflux, or heart burn, it means that we have too much hydrochloric acid (HCl) in our stomach.

False! It actually means there is not enough HCl being produced. Did you also know that food allergies stem from having poor digestion? Here’s how it all works.

When we swallow our food and it enters the stomach, HCl is made to help break down food particles for further digestion. Once our stomach contents reaches a low pH of 2.3 (acidic environment), the pyloric sphincter (what separates the stomach from the small intestine) opens and releases the broken down food (chyme) for further digestion. Next, an “acid trigger” occurs which makes the gallbladder squirt bile and the pancreas release enzymes and bicarbonate. All of these are needed to ensure fats are being emulsified, proteins are properly broken down for absorption of vitamins and minerals into the bloodstream, as well as proper excretion. These three things are also needed to neutralize the pH in the small intestine so it doesn’t burn a hole through it causing an ulcer. (Enough with the biology lesson already!)

What happens when you don’t produce enough HCl? 

When you don’t have enough acid to break down the food particles, that food begins to ferment and bubble. Imagine what it would be like to drink a bottle of vinegar…it’s not pleasant. Now, because the food can’t be broken down, the pH in the stomach can’t reach 2.3, and because of this, the pyloric sphincter doesn’t get the message to open. So the fermented food just sits there and sits there, until it eventually bubbles up so much that it comes up the esophagus causing a burning sensation. i.e. acid reflux or “heart burn.”

Why can’t I just take a Tums or something?

Well, I suppose you could, but here’s why I’d advise against it. Sure, Tums feels good on your esophagus and eliminates the burning, but Tums consists of bicarbonate which is an alkalinizing substance. When you alkalinize your stomach you increase pH. This means that your stomach contents cannot reach the oh-so-important pH of 2.3 which makes the pyloric sphincter open and for digestion to occur and for you to feel as good and natural as God intended it! In other words, Tums just makes the problem worse. Higher pH means more fermentation, more bubbles, and yes, you guessed it, bloating and farting! Did you know that farting is actually NOT normal? It is caused by undigested food particles left in your stomach to ferment and decay. (Oh, and by the way, your feces aren’t supposed to stink either. You know that saying, “My shit don’t stank!”? It should be true!) That’s why when you eat something that didn’t quite agree with you, (or you ate something you know you shouldn’t have) you will feel bloated and gassy. It’s not a coincidence!

So, how do allergies play a part in all of this, you ask?

Well, when the acidic chyme leaves your stomach, not getting the response to raise pH, it continues along the intestinal tract where it eventually burns a hole through the tiny, sensitive microvilli that are meant to absorb nutrients from your food. Unfortunately they can’t do their job once they have been burned away. The proteins in your food leak through, (called “leaky gut syndrome”) and enter your bloodstream. Your immune system then recognizes these proteins as “foreign bad guys” and attacks them. So, every time you eat that specific food item, your immune system has the same response to it. Your immune system’s cells begin to make antibodies against the protein of that food. (By the way, you can only be allergic to the protein molecules in food and nothing else.) Eventually, your body begins to attack itself, resulting in what’s called an autoimmune disease. That’s why you can acquire allergies at any time in life. The opposite is also true for the fact that you can lose allergies at any time, given you improve your digestion.

SO! The moral of the story is, digestion means EVERYTHING! If you don’t have proper digestion, you cannot be the healthy, vivacious, living being that you were made to be.

Health, Happiness and Love

Look at this amazing haul…of books and shivers.

Being an avid reader and aspiring writer, I listen to NPR a lot.

Do I pledge?

That’s not important here. And it’s rude to ask.

My point is that by listening to NPR, I am often exposed to things I’ve never encountered before.

Like haul videos.

Who knew tweeners made videos about all the cheap, fashionable clothes they bought that week?

I sure didn’t know, and probably didn’t need to.

Thanks, NPR.

This weekend, the rerun of This American Life featured ASMR, or Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response, videos.

Basically, they’re videos that make you sort of shiver/tingle in your head.

Yeah, weird, so it caught my attention. And held it.

A common trigger is whispering. Based on the innocent presumption that was the only trigger, I started watching a few of these videos.

There are way more triggers out there than just whispering.

Let’s just say they involve role-playing.

Yes, role-playing.

They’re like phone sex without the sex.

Or two-way communication.

Or, technically speaking, phones. They usually use YouTube instead, which is notoriously one-way in real-time.

But while there are some really freaky-deaky triggers out there (I’m looking at you, ‘please stroke your hand with a makeup brush’ person), I can’t deny that they work.

OK, to be clear, the makeup brush one did not work for me. But the whispering ones do. It’s really trippy.

And addictive.

Not for me, of course, I’m far too socially well-adjusted to succumb to something as droll as internet addiction.

But some of these videos create the illusion of shared, casual intimacy. That you’ve just sat down with an old friend who is stroking your face with a makeup brush as you chat.

And that, despite being entirely illusory, is powerful stuff.

Being a man who likes to throw his power around, I just had to make my own ASMR video.

Put on your headphones (for best effect) and click below to learn deep, dark secrets of my book hauling that will make your brain tingle.

If you need me, I’ll be alone in my man cave, watching some ASM-, er, listening to an NPR stream. Yeah, that’s it. That’s the ticket.
—

The Santa Claus Gang:

Marlowe and the Spacewoman:

Kleencut (FREE, and another fine showcase for my artistic abilities!):

My stomach has often been compared to that of a horse or a pig or… a black hole. I can pack away most things and can keep up with any man and his platter. Eating vast quantities of food has never been a challenge for me. My body’s ability to pack the food around my thighs and my arms has always been a quick and effortless process; much to my displeasure and shame. I am always hungry. So, you can imagine how shocked and appalled I was towards my stomach when It struggled to consume two gigantic scones.

You don’t believe me? Neither can I to be honest!

When I went to A La Ronde National Trust property I asked my boyfriend, with bundles of confidence, to purchase a pot of tea and two scones, EACH, after our jaunt around the round house. I had sat down with not a fear in the world. The tearoom itself was small, crowded and charming; the only concern I had up to that point was whether we were going to find a table and whether I’d be able to hear my Ketchum over the racket of our nearby diners.

I like to add that though the tearoom was completely crammed it didn’t feel overbearing; it felt homely and lively. The tables were arranged in varying angles and dimensions so although it wasn’t ‘organised’ it wasn’t cluttered. This particular tearoom has won awards for its creamy jammy buns so my expectations were high and hungry, so the fact that the room was packed out didn’t bother me too much. I was just excited to pack as much in my mouth as that room.

HE RETURNED TO THE TABLE… and we waited for our food to be delivered; unaware of the perils about to befall us.

Our table turned into the centre of all social interaction. We were in the way of the cutlery and the communal water jug. I became the master of the jug and the passer of utensils due to the fact that our table, and other’s, had fenced off access to them. I enjoyed being their liberator. I found their apologies amusing. They had no reason to feel guilty, it wasn’t their fault they were stuck between tables, in fact, I was actually grateful for the distraction.

I was failing.

The giant buns had me stumped.

Filled.

Stuffed.

In Devon… we do Cream Tea’s right. We are generous in every capacity; size, taste and serving. So generous in fact that even my greedy stomach could barely manage. It was embarrassing. My belly protruded out of my shorts and winced every time I took a bite out of my heavily clad scone. My darling Bandicoot cast me many bemused and mocking expressions; he wasn’t struggling like moi. He had even managed to cut one scone into three parts… thats how big they were!

I considered him, in that moment, severely out of favour. My eyes narrowed and I was determined to finish them both even if I’d be immobilised for the rest of the afternoon. Indigestion could ravage my body as much as it wanted; I wasn’t going to give up.

The property itself was remarkable. So unique and shockingly bizarre. I definitely recommend a visit; they were one hell of a creative family. I shan’t delve any further for it deserves a chance to surprise and astonish you, without me giving you any spoilers.

Ahhhhh still struggling.

Communication between Aladdin and I had ceased. My attention was no longer lovingly looking at his face; it was humiliated, angry and focused on the last slab of scone. He teased me to give up, I scowled.  He offered to eat it instead, I glared.

I FORCED IT INTO MY MOUTH.

And the torment was over. I relaxed into my chair and remained motionless while I chewed and then, finally, swallowed. My brain was triumphant but my stomach groaned as the last morsel was engulfed and forced inside. Bandicoot still had an amused expression on his face, my puffed out cheeks and swelling belly was obviously not as attractive as I had envisaged, but my victory was glorious and beautiful. I cared naught for his look of ridicule.

I LOVED WINNING.

So if you too are up for a challenge, go forth to A La Ronde in Exmouth. If not, just buy one scone and save yourself an embarrassing hobble back to your car and from an evening of outrageous indigestion.

It’s a long hard road to getting diagnosed with an autoimmune disease never mind trying to figure out how to deal with it after being diagnosed. I can remember the frustration of having doctors look at me like I was crazy. I would end up in the ER with an elevated heart rate and a strange pulsating sensation down my left arm. The first time I felt this I thought I was having a heart attack! The doctor in the ER treated me like I was an over emotional female who was just stressed out. Funny thing is…..she commented that the EKG looked incompatible so she recommended a stress test. I took my stress test. During the stress test I got the same pulsating sensation down my left arm. The doctor there was scratching his head in bewilderment. He guessed high blood pressure at first, then changed his mind. When the test was over his comment was ” I guess you passed, we’ll let you know if we find anything to indicate otherwise” I never heard anything back.

After experiencing several doctors and their attitudes I decided to do some research online. I was trying to find a way to get this under control. I wasn’t sure what was wrong but I needed to feel better. If doctors weren’t going to listen to me then I was going to do what I could for myself. I started with diet and exercise. It helped. I felt better for a while.

Until I ended up back in the ER again. This time I was also having trouble breathing. Again, they scheduled me for a stress test. During my stress test my oxygen levels dropped lower than would be normally expected. The doctor put me on Asthma medication which didn’t seem to make a difference to me. After throwing $150 away on worthless medications he sent me to a Pulmonologist. About this time I also managed to get in with a Rheumatologist. I had managed to convince my daughter’s OBGYN to refer her to a Rheumatologist for some problems she was having (yeah, she’s got autoimmune disease as well, another long story, I will share it at another time).

I have experienced elevated blood pressure, palpitations, sugar highs/lows, poor circulation, headaches, joint pain, difficulty breathing(due to inflammation of the trachea), chest pain, back pain, indigestion, bloating, itchy skin, chronic fatigue, depression and chronic dry eye….etc….

I have tried some of their medications but haven’t liked the side effects of any of them so I gave up trying them. Instead I have done as much research as possible trying to find ways to stay as healthy as possible. I needed to take control of my health. The doctors would be there if ever I needed them but I was going to give it a go without medication, much to the disapproval of my doctor.

I am hoping to share some of what I have learned along my path to healing. Am I completely healed? No, I still have autoimmune disease but I do fairly well as long as I eat well and get my exercise. I know there are people out there suffering from autoimmune disease and I hope that by sharing my experiences I can be an encouragement to them.

This is the beginning of Healthy Living Now. I will be sharing more of my story and my daughter’s story in later posts. I hope to also be sharing great recipes and articles pertaining to this issue. Be blessed and stay well!

-Annie Seddon

On the up side, it does mean the Sizzle is getting some action. Just over half way through the back which leaves just the sleeves to be done { HOWEVER } Im not kidding, but it looks like I may not have sufficient yarn {BALLS}. Hmm….I may have to don the Sizzle sans sleeves…

AND ITS STILL FREAKIN’ SNOWING !!!

Any ideas on ridding oneself of the indigestion caused from overindulgence ? Im all ears…

(Want more? They’re over here!)

1) Ginger tea. This tea is known for promoting digestion and treating all kinds of intestinal issues you may have. I like to drink it when I overeat, since it aids the process of digestion by stimulating gastric juice production.

2) Papaya Enzymes. I think these enzymes are probably the best, since you get relatively fast relief. I take them when I overeat, but unfortunately they don’t help treat symptoms from being glutened. That’s the only thing I regret about them. I wish there was a supplement out there that could instantly help with symptoms related to accidental gluten exposure.

3) Do some physical exercise. It is a good idea to take a walk after a rich meal to help your stomach break down the food. Also, avoid going to bed 2-3 hours after eating, as this can actually make you feel sick. When you feel really full, it’s good to move around and avoid laying on your back. I will usually take a walk around the block, but if it’s dark outside I try to walk around the house just to keep moving. If you want to go to bed but are still feeling uncomfortable, I suggest you sleep on your left side since that prevents food from pushing out of your stomach and into the esophagus. Trust me, it’s really uncomfortable when that happens.

How do you cope with digestive issues?

If you are constantly on the go and need something nutritious to keep you going, come sample some smoothies and see what you think. Convenient meals don’t have to be unhealthy and healthy meals don’t have to be inconvenient. So come learn how to get good nutrition on the go.

There will be a raffle for some free items, as well as a smoothie sampling game to decide which smoothie is the ultimate smoothie and the ultimate fast food.
Details:
Location: KSW Karate Dojo, 20200 Hwy 88. Pine Grove, CA 95665
Time: 5:00 pm
Attendance: Free
Contact: Andrew Plitt
(209) 753-7865 (voicemail)
andrewplitt@gmail.com

http://ancientwisdom-aplitt.blogspot.com/p/blog-page_16.html

So often we are eating at our desks or on-the-go that we don’t take time to recognize how we are eating. We eat so quickly, barely chewing our food, let alone taking a breath and then we wash it down with some liquid. This method of eating creates a very difficult task for the digestive system.

Chewing your food is an essential part of the digestive process that should not be left out.  How you eat is just as important, if not more important, than what you eat.

So the next time that you sit down to eat, take a deep breath and think about chewing your food.   Experiment with chewing between 15-20 times before you swallow and attempt to cut back on the amount of liquid consumed during mealtimes.

Amazingly, your body contains about 100 trillion bacteria – that’s right, 100 trillion!  That’s more than 10 times the number of cells in your entire body.  So it stands to reason that these bacteria might play a pretty important role in your health.  Now, some of these bacteria are “good” and some are “bad.”  When the bad bacteria begin to proliferate and increase in percentage, all kinds of issues can arise, from eczema, to diarrhea, constipation, bloating, nausea, headaches, and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) to name just a few!

Unfortunately, our western diet consisting of a lot of sugar and refined carbohydrates promotes the growth of “bad” bacteria, yeast and fungi in your gut and intestines.  Probiotics (good bacteria) on the other hand promote digestion of food, help your body eliminate toxins, and help with the absorption of nutrients.  They serve many other purposes as well, and Dr. Mercola highlights over 30 healthy actions probiotics play in your body.

The ideal ratio of good to bad bacteria is 85% good to 15% bad.  When this balance is disrupted, issues can arise with the lining of the stomach and intestines leading to the disorders previously described.

When considering taking a probiotic supplement it’s important to find the right strain for the issue your trying to resolve.  It’s also important to take a high quality probiotic that has been stored at the proper temperature to ensure that the bacteria are alive and active.  While probiotics are generally safe to take, care should be taken in people with compromised immune systems or serious illness.

As always, we’re here to help you in determining what the right probiotic is for you and we carry only pharmaceutical grade supplements, so let us know if you have any questions.

In the meantime, enjoy the article, and let me know what you think.

Here’s the link:

Probiotics are Essential to a Healthy Gut Flora.

Be Well.

Mike

Michael Lenz RPh, is a partner in Fallon Wellness Pharmacy of Saratoga.  He has over 10 years experience in custom compounding.  Michael has received extensive training in Bio-identical Hormone Replacement Therapy (BHRT) and Adrenal Fatigue.  He is an advocate for healthy eating and proper nutritional supplementation, and speaks frequently on the subjects of hormone health, nutrition and wellness.  Michael is currently enrolled in the Institute For Functional Medicine’s Certified Functional Medicine Practitioner Program.  He lives in Saratoga Springs, NY with his wife and 4 children.

sources: mercola.com; webmd.com

A few tricks that worked for me:

• Don’t bend over, squat. If you need to pick something up, get into the habit of bending your knees. You’ll be using more muscles (hopefully cutting that lazy streak) and your back will thank you after retirement.
• Type less, hand-write more. Sure typing and writing both employ the dexterity of your fingers, but writing things out just feels more productive.
• Prepare your own food at home. You don’t need to cook! Even if it’s making your own coffee or adding scrambled eggs and home-fries to a store bought muffin, avoid eating prepared food solely because you don’t want to get in the kitchen. Unless you’ve got the money to hook up with Fresh Direct, your wallet, liver and kidneys will remember what good care you took of them when you need them most.
• Come home and empty all your pockets. When you head out again, put all your essentials back into your pockets. After a while you’re certainly less likely to forget your wallet, and a little more inclined to change jackets or pants now that you know everything you need isn’t just waiting to be slipped on.
• Drink water in a small glass when you’re at home. You’ll have to get up several times to satisfy your thirst throughout the day; those walks to the water pitcher and back add up.
• Take the stairs. This is definitely not an original idea, but it is very effective. Not only in cutting laziness, but also in raising heart rate; it’s basically a workout!
• Take a stroll after dinner. The after dinner atmosphere is typically calm (great for just walking off some stress) and the stroll will help with any indigestion problems you have.
• Posture! Your posture is extremely important. Take note of your posture across a period of a week. How often are you hunched over, lying down or leaning? Sitting and standing with your back straight will not only make you more energetic, it will increase your level of confidence.

After being lazy for months on end, getting my energy and willpower back was a great feeling. Too much of anything is a bad thing; I believed myself to be enjoying the constant laziness, but I found that it had made me unwilling to go enjoy myself. With my energy back, I’ll be dosing myself with lethargy much more sparingly.

Dyspepsia

Dyspepsia is a common problem and is frequently caused by gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) or gastritis. In a small minority it may be the first symptom of peptic ulcer disease (an ulcer of the stomach or duodenum) and occasionally cancer. Hence, unexplained newly onset dyspepsia in people over 55 or the presence of other alarming symptoms may require further investigations.

Functional dyspepsia (previously called nonulcer dyspepsia) is dyspepsia “without evidence of an organic disease that is likely to explain the symptoms”. Functional dyspepsia is estimated to affect about 15% of the general population in western countries.

Functional and undifferentiated dyspepsia have similar treatments. Decisions around the use of drug therapy are difficult because trials included heartburn in the definition of dyspepsia. This led to the results favoring proton pump inhibitors (PPIs), which are effective for the treatment of heartburn. Traditional therapies used for this diagnosis include lifestyle modification, antacids, and antiflatulents. It has been noted that one of the most frustrating aspects of treating functional dyspepsia is that these traditional agents have been shown to have little or no efficacy.

A 2002 systemic review of herbal products found that several herbs, including peppermint and caraway, have anti-dyspeptic effects for non-ulcer dyspepsia with “encouraging safety profiles”. Ginger and related products made therefrom have been shown to have some positive alleviation of symptoms, in particular for motion sickness and pregnancy-related nausea.

Source: Wikipedia.

Image courtesy of marin / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

3) Include Some Non-Consuming Days

Numerous people uncover that getting numerous alcoholic beverages-free times each 7 days helps them to preserve their behavior under control. If you have been consuming each working day for a lengthy time you may possibly uncover that introducing in even one non-drinking day every single 7 days can support you to get started on your change program. Come to feel totally free to go at your very own pace in introducing alcoholic beverages-totally free times into your 7 days. Warning: If you have been consuming greatly each day for a lengthy time you may possibly have alcohol withdrawal if you stop all at as soon as. If you commence to have withdrawal signs when you quit ingesting then it is safest to either taper off little by little, to verify into a detox, or to get some medicines from your medical professional to assist you with liquor withdrawal.

four) Depend and Chart How A lot You Consume

1 of the best techniques to get a handle on your drinking is to rely your drinks and preserve a every day document on a calendar or some other variety of consuming chart. To preserve an correct report of how significantly you drink you will want to learn what a common consume is. In the US this is one twelve oz beer at five per cent alcohol or one particular five oz glass of wine at twelve % liquor or one particular and a 50 % oz of eighty proof booze. One drink in a bar can contain up to 50 percent a dozen common beverages so beware of this when charting your beverages. Exercise measuring at house to get a truly feel for how significantly a standard drink truly is. Publish down your consume quantities on your calendar each and every day if you have an abstinence working day then create down a zero. Many folks uncover that the act of charting in itself aids them to minimize back.

five) Make a Consuming Prepare

You can use the exact same calendar exactly where you chart your consume numbers to strategy how a lot of drinks you will have in a presented day. For illustration, you might want to reserve each and every Sunday for generating your ingesting plan for the 7 days to come and publish down which days will be alcohol-free and how numerous beverages you intend to have on your ingesting days. Some people may want to have the very same program each week and will decide on to write it down just as soon as. For illustration, a individual may possibly decide on to consume properly at property each and every Saturday night time and abstain the other 6 days of the 7 days. There are as a lot of different attainable ingesting strategies as there are individuals so come to feel totally free to make the strategy which is right for you.

six) Make a Pros and Cons Record

Other widespread fuel making foodstuff are cruciferous veggies, root veggies, lentils, prunes and garlic.

Menstruation

Bloating, collectively with water excess weight acquire and temper swings, are linked with premenstrual rigidity. drinking tips

Take in smaller, more regular foods for far better well being and a bloat-cost-free waistline.

Change your eating practices

Consuming rapidly boosts stress on your abdomen and makes far more gasoline. Sit down, chew your foods nicely, and eat your foods in a leisurely manner, giving the foods plenty of time to digest.

Consuming tea or coffee on the run is similarly poor with surplus air accompanying every sip and gulp. Savor your drinks by ingesting them slowly.

Restrict sugar substitutes

Sodas, sweets and chewing gum contain enormous portions of artificial sweeteners, particularly sorbitol and xylitol which several people uncover difficult to digest, ensuing in bloating, gasoline and diarrhea. Relatively have real sugar than substitutes.

Lower out sodas

The bubbles in fizzy drinks cause bloating. Also refrain from drinking excessively sizzling or chilly drinks.

End taking in junk and processed meals

Fried, oily foods and large salt content material result in bloating.

Abstain from carbohydrates at night time

Bread and pasta lead to you to keep h2o. Avoid ingesting them at evening to be puff-free the up coming early morning.

Early morning h2o and lemon juice

Start off your day by drinking a glass of heat h2o with the juice of fifty percent a lemon it speeds up waste elimination and gets rid of toxins.

Consume potassium abundant meals

Bananas, cantaloupe, mangoes, spinach, tomatoes, nuts, asparagus and clean chopped parsley regulate the fluid harmony in your body and cease bloating.

If you experience from constipation, taking in sufficient fruit, greens and higher fiber, these kinds of as oatmeal, will improve your digestion and treatment your bloating problem.

Drink h2o

Water flushes out your system and aids digestion. Instead of liquor, caffeine and colas, consume simple water and all-natural teas.

Restrict excess air

Do not consume and discuss at the exact same time, drink out of a straw, chew gum nor smoke due to the fact the surplus air accompanying these pursuits brings about you to bloat.

Eat food items simply digested by your human body

Bland meals, these kinds of as fish, hen, soya based foodstuff, yogurt and rice do not tax your digestive technique.

Restrict gas making meals

Discover which raw greens cause you to bloat, then either boil them or do not take in them at all. The cellulose in cabbage, peas and beans is hard to digest and might lead to you to puff up.

Other widespread fuel generating meals are cruciferous veggies, root greens, lentils, prunes and garlic.

Menstruation

Bloating, together with drinking water weight obtain and mood swings, are associated with premenstrual tension. Guarantee you get 1200 milligrams calcium and two hundred to 400 milligrams magnesium daily. bar hack

This can’t be happening.  The pain in my arm was excruciating.  I woke up at 1:30 a.m Friday, 3/22/13, to squeezing pain in my left tricep.  My Human was still awake sitting in his easy chair there next to me.  Told me I had been moaning a few minutes now.  I get up and start walking around the house doing bicep curls trying to free my arm of this pressure.  No luck; it’s worse.  Then I realize the pain — although not as gripping as the pain in my arm — is also in my chest.  Now that I’m in semi-panic mode, I realize that my breathing is shallow because of the pain in my chest!  Could this be a heart attack?  I don’t fit the profile, right?  Pre-menopausal woman, athlete, non-smoker, not obese.  This can’t be happening.  But yet it was.  Off I go, with My Human and Abby riding behind the ambulance, to the ER.  After EKG, blood work, and stress test, the results are in:  NO heart attack,  no damaged heart!  YES!  WTH?  Could be a host of things:  esophageal spasm, gastritis, indigestion, referred pain……….This list goes on.

SOOO happy My Human was in the room when the cardiologist gave us the news:  go right back to your normal lifestyle; your heart is fine.  I say, “Great!  I am entered in a sprint triathlon tomorrow.  Is it okay to do that?”  The answer:   “Of course!”  Awesome news.  I had been looking forward to racing at Girl Power Tri, the first super-sprint of the season.  I wanted to test my nerve too, since last season I was plagued with anxiety on almost every swim race.   If I had to sum up the race in one sentence it would be this:  smooth swim, pushed hard through the 18 mph wind on bike, and ran like the police were chasing me.   The results are in:  2nd place in age group and a spot on the podium.  Go figure!

Two weekends ago, millions of Irish-Americans (and many non-Irish Americans) enjoyed a beer or two in honor of St. Patrick’s Day. They likely weren’t thinking about the fermentation process that created the beverage in their hand, but being a big fan of fermented products, I surely did!

Fermented foods are alive and teaming with beneficial microbes (or probiotics) that keep the digestive tract running efficiently, but also protect the heart, boost immunity, reduce the risk of diabetes and obesity, and prevent food allergies.

Just the sheer numbers of bacteria in fermented foods can be astronomical, which ensures large numbers will survive the trip through the digestive tract. Fermented foods also contain enzymes and other nutrients that allow the bacteria to continually multiply.

When it comes to natural probiotics, fermented foods like sauerkraut, fermented vegetables, kefir, and yogurt are true superfoods. They are loaded with beneficial bacteria.

Although I like them all, sauerkraut has to be my favorite, with kefir being a close second. I usually have two batches of sauerkraut going all the time…one that I’m eating and one that is still going through the fermentation process.

One of the many reasons I like sauerkraut is for its numerous strains of bacteria, many of which I’m sure haven’t even been categorized. It also contains various cancer-fighting compounds, vitamin C, minerals, and other nutrients.

Kefir can be found in many markets today and is fairly easy to make at home, as well. Kefir “starter” grains can be purchased from places like Cultures for Health. They are simply added to any kind of milk, and, within 24 to 48 hours, you have kefir.

If you have digestive problems, it will be almost impossible to permanently eliminate them unless you improve the balance between the beneficial bacteria and disease-causing bacteria that exist naturally in your digestive system. One of the most effective ways to do this is by eating foods that are high in beneficial bacteria called probiotics—specifically traditional fermented foods.

Traditional fermented foods are bursting with beneficial lactic acid bacteria, which are the friendly organisms responsible for the fermentation process in the first place. Lactic acid bacteria are what naturally make milk products go sour and vegetables ferment.

Sour milk products have been part of our ancestors’ diets ever since the collecting of milk from animals began. Lactic acid–fermented foods have also been dietary staples for thousands of years. Early writings show that Chinese workers ate acid-fermented vegetables while building the Great Wall of China. The Japanese have routinely served a small serving of pickled vegetable with their meals. Centuries ago, the Koreans developed kimchi by acid-fermenting cabbage and other vegetables.

In fact, lactic acid-fermented cabbage has been revered as one of the most beneficial healing agents since early humans.

Before Christ, the Greeks wrote about the health benefits of fermented cabbage. The Romans used sauerkraut to treat and prevent intestinal infections. Captain Cook used sauerkraut and lime juice to prevent scurvy on his three-year journey around the world. Throughout Europe, Russia, and the Balkans, sauerkraut and other lactic acid-fermented foods (kefir, yogurt, buttermilk, kapusta, kvass, borscht, etc.) have become entrenched in the diet after centuries of use. Many African cultures still routinely use lactic acid-fermentation as a way of preserving gruels made from corn and sorghum. Even the people of India use a food paste made from the juice of sauerkraut. (Discover a great recipe for homemade sauerkraut.)

The Disappearance of Traditional Fermented Foods

In the last 100 years, most traditional fermented foods have practically been eliminated from our diet. In this country, about the only fermented food we continue to eat with any regularity is pickles made from fermented cucumbers. But commercial pickles are made using vinegar instead of just salt and water—and then they are pasteurized, which kills all the lactic acid bacteria. This process, in effect, renders the product nearly useless when it comes to improving health. This fact should be fairly evident when you consider the 35 million people in this country alone who suffer from irritable bowel syndrome, and the millions more who suffer from ulcers, indigestion, recurring vaginal infections, chronic constipation or diarrhea, and dozens of other related health problems. Try Fermented foods for your health.

Gotta keep it all in

Just Buggging Out

Like Spike’s show “1001 Ways to Die” why choose food poisoning by roach indigestion.

Florida Man dies after roach eating contest

Knock-out dish: Student Curie Kim starts to feel unwell. She was taken to hospital twice in five hours after entering the event

In 2011, at the Kismot restaurant, in Edinburgh Scottland eater came out to take on the curry eating challenge.  To the competitors surprise who indulged in the hottest curry soon found themselves in serious agony on the floor, vomiting and fainting. Experiencing a top secret nuclear strength recipe that included some of the world’s hottest chillies has probably scarred many of contestants from enter such a contest every again.

I think i canNoli

Eater X going for the cannoli record.

In 2008, at Dayeh University in Changhua, Taiwan, a Taiwanese graduate student died during competitive eating event after he passed out and died from relentless vomiting.

Story

Another chili eating contest

Was it as sweet coming up as it going down.

Hypolactasia huh?

Lactose Intolerant also known as Carbohydrate Malabsorbtion.

Lactase (β-D-galactosidase)  is the enzyme used to break down lactose. The production of lactase decreases with age.

Everyone has the enzyme lactase used to breakdown lactose. Lactose intolerance occurs when more lactose is ingested than that which can be digested.

Lactose molecules attract water molecules this causes bloating, abdominal discomforts as well as diarrhea. Symptoms of gas build-up and abdominal discomfort in the body are experience since intestinal bacteria feeds on undigested lactose producing acid and gas.

So guys, know your limit before you suffer.

References:

Fundamentals of Biochemisty.C.W. Pratt, D.Voet, J.G. Voet. John Wiley and Sons,Inc, Fourth edition. Chapter 8, Carbohydrates pg 224.

On another note, I’m returning my new Zappos clown kicks.  I was 5 minutes into my workout with them on when the same sharp horrible pain began again.  What did I do?  I did the rest of the workout barefoot and the pain went away.  Should I be looking into those barefoot sneaker things?  I don’t know what to do anymore.