Stop! Listen to your body. Transformation can happen, surprising all around you. Our bodies can resolve challenges given enough time and resources, by revisiting the root causes of the health challenges and addressing them step by step. There is no reason why anyone should not be driving on the road to Wellness.
Gut Health
The gut manages, controls and services all parts of our bodies’ functions. The gut needs to be nurtured. It’s condition depends upon how we are feeding it – food, emotions, toxicity etc. I am convinced that the types of food we eat and types of drink we consume on a daily basis definitely trigger various signs and symptoms.
For some people consuming the same food daily may cause discomfort in the digestive system. Our body system demands the consumption of unprocessed seasonal foods because they are fresh and rich in nutrition. The digestive system is well structured and made of tissues, muscles and a complex nervous system that signals the immune system, neurotransmitters, enzymes, hormones etc. The gut is the orchestra that plays different tunes depending on the way it is nourished — it triggers both positive and negative actions accordingly. In fact it is sometimes called the second brain. However I would go to the extent of defining the gut as the ultimate brain that manages the entire human well being. It is becoming common knowledge that gut behavior dictates overall body wellness. If we forget to treat the gut with respect we are in trouble.
Thus the types of food and drink we consume daily are influenced by our daily behavior pattern. After all our blood plasma is 90% water, body is 70% water and even our bones are 25% water.
Some revelations from my own clinical observations include that Nutrigenomics (the scientific study of the interaction of nutrition and genes, especially with regard to the prevention or treatment of disease) impacts human development.
Often, case- taking reveals the historic development of the disease pathway. For example, consider a woman who is constantly exposed to physical, environmental and emotional trauma. If it is not managed well and if she falls pregnant, then her gut health is adversely affected and it impacts the newborn child. Problems may even be passed on for several generations if they are not rectified. Holistic caring (emotional, physical and nutrition support) is paramount in this case.
In my opinion, the general public have become more confused about supplementation due in large part to biased information provided by the media and the internet. Nonetheless there is a generally increasing awareness that supplementation is a necessity rather than a luxury.There is also increasing evidence supporting plant based nutrition, including double blind studies and published papers on the biochemistry and cellular functions in humans. I believe plant based nutrition is a science needing further study.
Humans tend to eat/snack continuously. However we have a digestive tract made to process and digest the food we eat over a period of six hours, before distributing the extracted nutrients to the different organs in our system. An interesting review article by Sophie Miguel-Kergoat et al ¹ quotes
- Enhancing oral processing by prolonged chewing influences appetite and food intake.
- Meta-analysis revealed that chewing significantly reduced self-reported hunger.
- Systematic review revealed an effect of chewing on food intake.
- Increasing the number of chews per bite increased gut hormone release.
- Mastication promotes satiety by influencing appetite, intake and hormone release.
Drinking six to seven glasses of water over the course of a day may also help with wellness. Warm water supports the body. The heart, kidney and digestive tract are all heaters, and when one has a compromised body, warm water supports the functionality of all organs because the body does not need to generate energy to further energize the organs.
Following the simple behavioural patterns and being disciplined will pave the way for better wellness. Managing the toxic relationship/environment requires mental resilience. Again gut wellness plays a pivotal part in this. Therefore nutrition plays a part in mental resilience.
The human body is made up of a balance of proteins, carbohydrates, fats, minerals, vitamins, and trace elements. Depletion of any one of these classes of nutrition over a period, for example due to drug intervention or long term toxicity exposures, results in the deterioration of body faculties, with the onset of inflammation. When we are presented with a health challenge, we must take all practical steps to address the underlining metabolic issues. Whenever there is an outward manifestation of a disease related challenge, we must go back, revisit the source and put things right. I believe disease is an accumulation of incidents of either trauma, accident, inflammatory food/drinks, environmental toxicity, microbial infections or lack of exercise etc.
It is time to wake up! People should be responsible for their well being and not rely on their doctors. The medical profession is present to guide, provide suggestions and professional advice. Ultimately, we are the masters of our own wellness.
One Effective Wellness Solution
- Taking proven plant based supplements.
- 7-8 glasses of warm water.
- Daily quiet time-20mins,
- Abdominal breathing,
- Positive music,
- Positive talk,
- Believing in oneself,
- Walking with swinging hands,
- Walking away from/ avoiding negative environment.
- Enjoying the outdoors
- Being thankful and grateful
The decision is within you to change for the best.
¹ Effects of chewing on appetite, food intake and gut hormones: A systematic review and meta-analysis Sophie Miquel-Kergoata Veronique Azais-Braescob Britt Burton-Freemanc Marion M.Hetheringtond Physiology & Behaviour, Volume 151, 1 November 2015, Pages 88-96
