Good Digestion

[Guest guest]

Hi Everyone!

I am writing about good digestion. I have a secret that I do for good

digestion. It is just a matter of breaking old habits. It is this: I

dont eat past 6pm. I will have a very good sleep that way too. I have

also lost alot of weight too .

When we sleep on an empty stomach we are going to have an easier time

sleeping and better dreams too. Remember when you were little your

mom would say " dont eat those pickles before bedtime, you'll get

night mares? " well she might be right!

Here's so info:

http://www.ayurbalance.com/diet_revupdigestion.htm

Rev Up Your Digestion With Tips From Ayurveda

" You are what you eat. " Right, but only 50% right, according to the

ancient healing tradition of ayurveda. The combination of what you

eat and what your body does with what you eat is what actually shapes

health and well-being. According to ayurveda, you are unique, and

your dietary needs are unique too, determined by your body

constitution, age, the season, your environment and your needs for

balance at any given time. But there are some diet and digestion

principles that are universally applicable. Here we present five that

you can begin any time…the quick-and-simple way to incorporate the

ayurvedic way of eating into your daily diet. Once you start seeing

results, you can delve more deeply into doshas--ayurvedic body types--

and tailor a diet and digestion routine that's best for you.

1. Add some zest to your life with lemon!

Add the freshly squeezed juice of half a lemon to a large cup of

really warm water and drink first thing in the morning.

Fresh lemon juice in moderation is good for all doshas. Lemon is a

wonderful aid to internal cleansing. Antibacterial and antiseptic,

lemon retards the presence of disease-causing bacteria in the

digestive tract. It is also a digestion enhancer and helps reduce

bloating and flatulence. It kindles a lethargic appetite, getting the

digestive juices flowing. And it aids elimination, so your digestive

tract is naturally flushed clear every morning. As an antioxidant,

lemon helps fight disease-causing free radicals in the body. It helps

keep your skin clear and your eyes sparkling.

More ways to use fresh lemon:

* Add lemon zest to your herbal tea.

* Squeeze some fresh lemon juice over your lentils.

* Skip the fatty prepared dressing and opt for a squeeze of fresh

lemon and a dash of extra-virgin olive oil over your salad.

2. Say " No ice, please! "

According to ayurveda, iced beverages, especially with or right after

a meal, can really slow down digestion. Imagine pouring cold water

over burning coals set up to cook your food. That's effectively what

you do to your digestive fires when you gulp down iced beverages with

your meal. Instead, opt for digestion-enhancing drinks. Warm water

infused with fragrant fennel helps enhance digestion, prevents

bloating, and freshens your breath naturally. Cumin tea, or ginger-

mint tea made with fresh ginger root slices and fresh mint leaves are

great alternatives.

Warm herb/spice teas stimulate the digestion, help your body

assimilate the nutrients from the foods you eat and help flush toxins

from the system.

To make herb or spice teas, bring water to a boil, add the fresh

herbs or spices, turn off the heat, and cover. Let steep for 5-7

minutes, strain and enjoy.

3. Invite all your senses to the table.

Digestion begins much before the first morsel of food goes down your

throat. When food is prepared properly and presented beautifully, and

your body and mind are receptive, all of your senses can aid

digestion. When you eat mindfully, colors, flavors, aromas and

textures blend to make the process of eating a delightful and

productive experience.

Create an inviting, pleasant environment to aid in the enjoyment of a

meal:

* Keep the dining table free of clutter. Only your food should grace

the table at mealtimes.

* Diffuse appetizing aromas 30 minutes before your meal-lemon, orange

and coriander are wonderful for getting those digestive juices

flowing.

* Eat in a silent, serene atmosphere. Keeping your mind free of

clutter while you eat will help your body and mind make the best use

of what you're ingesting.

4. Take a lunch break!

How many times a week do you " grab a quick bite " for lunch, use lunch

as an excuse for getting business accomplished or skip lunch

altogether?

According to ayurvedic healers, lunch should be THE most important

meal of the day. It's the time of day when your digestion is

naturally at its peak, and your body best able to complete the digest-

absorb-assimilate cycle.

Yet most of us eat the biggest meal of the day at night, often not

long before we go to bed, and the body has to rev up and work hard to

digest the food at a time when it should be trying to get into rest

mode. Unless you're among the lucky few with a workhorse for a

digestive system, eating heavy at night tends to result in undigested

food clogging up your insides. You'll find it harder to fall asleep,

your skin might break out, you'll gain weight easily, and you'll not

feel as energetic as you should during the day.

So take that lunch break, and eat your most substantial meal of the

day around noon. Heavier foods and yogurt should be eaten at lunch

rather than dinner for the same reasons.

And when you have five to ten precious extra minutes, take the time

to just sit quietly after the meal, savoring the experience, before

you resume activity. This will direct your body's energy towards

digestion before you draw it to other activities.

5. Drink to good health!

Water, the ayurvedic beverage of choice, is crucial for digestion and

absorption and to help flush toxins out of the body. It helps prevent

bloating and constipation, and helps transport nutrients to the cells

and tissues. It helps support the metabolism of fat.

Drink room temperature water or warm water through the day. Water

spiked with digestion enhancing spices and herbs is even better.

Light, clear vegetable broths, prepared fresh each day, are good

detoxifiers and offer soothing comfort on cold winter days.

http://vitanetonline.com/forums/1/Thread/1117

Date: November 01, 2007 09:49 AM

Author: VitaNet Staff (support@...)

Subject: Coconut Oil May Help Promote Healthy Thyroid and Digestive

Function

Coconut oil is extracted from coconuts, the coconut palm often being

called the tree of life and for good reason. However, its benefits

were lost to America for many years due to the politics of the

vegetable oil industry claiming that all saturated fats are bad. This

is not based on scientific or medical fact, and coconut oil was

recently rediscovered in the USA, and the health benefits enjoyed by

the rest of the world are once again available to Americans.

Coconut palms grow in most tropical climates such as Southern

California and Florida, the Philippines and the Caribbean. Refined

coconuts oils are mass produced and much of the beneficial nutrients

are lost by the refining process. Virgin coconut oil is by far the

better form, though is a slower process. It is generally obtained by

shredding and dry milling the meat, and then cold pressing to produce

the milk. The milk is fermented for a day or so and the separated oil

collected.

Such oils are analyzed to contain over 50% lauric acid and high

levels of phenolic antioxidants. Much higher than from refined oils.

It is said to be the healthiest oil on earth. So why did the American

authorities legislate against its use? It is because of the bad press

received by saturated fats and oils.

You can have saturated, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. The

majority of the fats and oils in our diet are composed of long chain

fats and oils. The chain length refers to the length of the

hydrocarbon chain, whether saturated or unsaturated. It is long chain

saturated acids that are bad for your cardiovascular system, and that

should be avoided. However, there are also short chain and medium

chain fatty acids that are more easily metabolized by the body.

Coconut oil consists predominantly of medium chain fatty acids that

help to protect against heart disease and cholesterol rather than

promote it.

The highest levels of medium chain fatty acids are found in coconut

oils and palm kernel oils, and these are far more nutritious than the

saturated long chain fatty acids found in animal fats and just about

all vegetable fats. The main MCFA in coconut oil is lauric acid.

Lauric acid is generally regarded as being responsible for the vast

majority of the health benefits of coconut oil. The only other source

of this fatty acid other than coconut oil is in human breast milk.

After absorption, lauric acid is metabolized into monolaurin that is

the monoglyceride used by the human body to destroy viruses and

microbes, and attack the fat coated viruses that cause such diseases

as HIV. It destroys flu viruses, a number of dangerous bacteria and

protozoa such as giardia lamblia.

However, let's have a look at some of the lesser known effects of

coconut oil, such as its effects on the thyroid. Anything that blocks

the efficient operation of the thyroid and secretion of the thyroid

hormones can lead to excess estrogen in the body that can contribute

to excessive blood cholesterol. There is a body of evidence that

polyunsaturated fats and oils, such as soy, can have this effect is

many people. When coconut oil is used instead, the medium chain fatty

acids do not have the same effect, and those that are affected

frequently find that their thyroid problem is cured and their blood

cholesterol reduces.

This is not to infer that all hypothyroidism can be cured through the

use of coconut oil, only those cases caused by consumption of

excessive amounts of polyunsaturated fats. Although this is refuted

by some medical practitioners that are against the use of supplements

in general, it has been supported by medical evidence.

Coconut oil is also good for the digestion, and helps the cure of

many digestive problems including Crohn's Disease. It helps to build

lipoproteins, fats and bile in the liver, the latter being essential

for digestion. It helps to create a much healthier digestive tract

that makes for generally better digestion and more efficient use of

the foods you eat. Absorption of the nutrients is maximized and you

feel altogether better in yourself when you take a small amount of

coconut oil daily.

You can have sugar cravings for a number of reasons, and taking

coconut oil can reduce these quickly and effectively, irrespective of

their cause. The medium chain fatty acid breaks down and is rapidly

metabolized to glucose thus providing a source of the energy your

craving is telling you that you lack. It is very useful in reducing

sugar cravings without you having to eat excess sugar that can create

yeast problems.

If you replace the fats you are currently eating with coconut oil, it

will not only act as an appetite suppressant but can also help you to

lose weight. The fatty acids in coconut are absorbed immediately and

converted to energy thus reducing your immediate need for food and

hence your appetite. If you eat the saturated fat in coconut oil

rather than the polyunsaturated fats in vegetable oils, then you can

lose weight.

Many of the benefits of coconut oil are due to the speed with which

the lauric acid is absorbed and metabolized in comparison to the long

chain polyunsaturated fats. It is the chain length of the hydrocarbon

tail that is important here rather than the number of double bonds in

that chain that determines the degree of unsaturation.

Make sure that it is virgin coconut that you use since that is the

most nutritious form. Do not be misled by labels claiming the

contents to be extra virgin oil, since that is a term borrowed from

the olive oil industry, and there is no such thing as extra virgin in

relation to coconut oil. Never use refined coconut oil since that

will just as bad for you as other saturated oils. Not even `Extra

Virgin Refined Coconut Oil' in the mistaken belief that such a label

must indicate that the oil is extra good. It does not – it simply

indicates that the supplier is a charlatan deliberately trying to

mislead you into paying a premium price for a useless product.

Coconut oil may promote a healthy thyroid and digestive function, and

all the medical tests indicate that it does. People that use it

regularly swear by it and if you have a problem that virgin coconut

oil might help, then one thing is sure: it will certainly do you no

harm, and all indications are that it will do you a lot of good.

http://www.happyjuicer.com/supplements/bromelain.asp

Bromelain was first introduced as a health-boosting substance in

1957. It aids in digestion and helps enhance the absorption of

nutrients from food and supplements. It is also taken for helping

reduce inflammation of the joints.

Bromelain is a mixture of protein enzymes found in the stems and

fruits of pineapple plants and has been widely used in the Caribbean

as a meat tenderizer. This is one of the reasons why pineapple is

often served with gammon.

Benefits

Bromelain has been reported to help prevent blood clots from

spontaneously forming which can lead to heart attacks. It does this

by preventing the high levels of fibrinogefrom occurring.

Bromelain supplements contain ingredients that aid in digestion and

helps to reduce inflammation.

Studies indicate that bromelain supplements can help reduce swelling,

bruising, and pain following surgery or injuries. It inhibits the

release of certain chemicals that causes inflammation. Commission E

of the now defunct Germany approved the use of bromelain for these

purposes. Commission E also approved it for the use of treting sinus

and nasal swelling following ear, nose and throat surgery.

Although some studies indicate that bromelain may be useful in

removing dead skin cells from third-degree burns on animals, it has

not been tested on people. In Hawaii, Japan, and Taiwan it has been

used to clean wounds and burns and help reduce swelling.

To help promote and maintain proper digestion, bromelain supplements

have been found to be beneficial. Bromelain can help relieve symptoms

of upset stomach and heartburn.

Preliminary studies have suggested that bromelain can also help

reduce rheumatoid arthritis pain and can be effective anti-

inflammatory agent. Long term use of bromelain can be an effective

treatment for connective tissue disorders.

Bromelain may also help to keep platelets from sticking together and

to the vessel walls which helps to prevent hardening of the arteries.

It also prevents clumping which helps to reduce the risk of heart

attacks and stroke.

Another beneficial aspect of bromeliad is that it enhances the

absorption of medications. In one study, 53 patients were given a

combination of bromelain and antibiotics that were infected with a

variety of infectious aliments. It was shown there was a significant

reduction in symptoms when the patients received the combined therapy

compared to those who only received the antibiotic.

Side Effects

Some common side effects of bromelain include nausea, vomiting,

diarrhea, and excessive menstrual bleeding.

Individuals who are allergic to pineapples should not use bromelain.

Preliminary studies indicate that bromelain may increase the body's

ability to absorb tetracycline.

Individuals who are taking blood thinners should not use bromelain

for possible risk of bleeding.

Bromelain is available in tablets or capsules and as a topical to

treat burns. Before embarking on a daily regimen that includes

bromelain consult your doctor and make sure you read the labels to

ensure you are taking the correct dosage.