CONNECTIONS to HEALTH

Introduction to Rehabilitating the Bowel In last months newsletter we had an overview of the detoxification process. This month we are looking at improving bowel function. The better the bowel function the better the elimination. What we need Basically there are five things we have to get right for good bowel function We need to rehydrate the bowel. We need to replenish the normal flora, or "good bacteria" in the bowel. We need to get rid of the mucoid plaque which lines the bowel. We need to get rid of any parasites living in the bowel. We need to decrease transit time through the bowel. Rehydration The bowel is where the body absorbs its water from the contents. If you are dehydrated then the contents of the bowel become thick and sticky. This can lead to reduced peristalsis, the rhythmical squeezing of the bowel to move the contents through. This can also lead on to increased mucoid plaque which, as we shall see, gives rise to even more problems. So how do we rehydrate the bowel? The simple answer is to drink more water. The average person needs to drink about four and a half pints, or three litres, of water a day. Now ideally the water would be just as water, however, water can be obtained from other fluid intake. The only proviso is that the fluid mustn't contain any diuretics; things that make us lose water from the body. Most of the common fluids we drink other than water contain diuretics. Common diuretics Any fluid with any of the following in should be avoided while trying to rehydrate the bowel. Tea Coffee Caffeine Sugar Artificial Sweeteners Carbon Dioxide Alcohol People who are really into rehydration say that if you are having your four and a half pints of water a day and have a mug of tea, then you need to have another mug of water to replace the water that the tea's chased out! What's left? Well water really and some herbal teas. Just make sure what you are drinking doesn't contain any diuretics. While we're on the subject of water there is some evidence to show that the good bacteria in our bowels are more susceptible than the bad bacteria to chlorine. So if you are going to dramatically increase the amount of tap water you are drinking perhaps you should filter it to get rid of the chlorine as reducing your good bacteria isn't a helpful long term strategy. Boiling tap water will drive off the chlorine too. Linseed Magic Sometimes, when we've been particularly dehydrated, we need some additional help to rehydrate the bowel. Take a tablespoon of linseeds and put them in a mug. Top up with filtered water and leave overnight. In the morning all the mucins will have come out of the linseeds forming a gelatinous mass. Stir well then drink the whole lot down. This will hold the moisture in the bowel giving it a chance to absorb some of the water from it and, at the same time, it will help to soothe an irritated bowel and give some vital roughage; which brings us on to:- Decreasing transit time The time it takes for the bowl contents to travel from beginning to end is known as the transit time. The longer this time is the worse it is for the overall wellbeing of the bowel. Two things help to decrease transit time. Roughage or fibre This is the indigestible parts of the foods we eat. It gives the peristalsis something to grab hold of, so-to-speak, and increases the movement through the bowel. We should all be eating whole foods. Processed food has had most of the fibre removed and is not good for healthy bowel action. Exercise General exercise is good for all of us and is especially good for decreasing transit time, so find yourself some form of exercise you enjoy and do it! Specific exercises for the abdominal muscles will also increase peristalsis and so decrease the transit time, so go on, tone up that tummy. In next month's exciting instalment we will be looking at the bacteria in the bowel and how to increase the numbers of good bacteria with respect to the bad ones.

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