The Digestive System
The Anatomy of the Digestive System
The digestive system is actually made up of seven parts. The organs of the digestive system are:
- mouth
- esophagus
- stomach
- small intestines
- large intestines
- rectum
- anus
How the Digestive System Works
When I was a kid, I thought all digesting happened in the stomach. I could not have been more wrong. The digestive system process works more like this:
Seeing how the mouth is a part of the digestive system, there is where the digesting really starts. The above listed organs have a lining called mucosa. Mucosa in the mouth, stomach and small intestines have glands which produces juices which breaks down food. So already, when you are chewing your food, you is starting its digesting. Then, as it gets into the digestive tract, there are smooth muscles that keep the food moving along to further break down. These muscles are also in the esophagus. The technical name is peristalsis. Try hanging upside down and swallow water. How did it get into your stomach if gravity is supposed to be pulling down on everything? But still be careful, the water can still come out your nose if you do it wrong.
The Stomach
Now, here we are, chewed food, on its way to the stomach. The stomach surrounds the food in gastric acid and churns it to a substance called chyme. (pronounced kime) At the top and the bottom of the stomach we have a sphincter that holds food in its place. (that’s right, the body has a total of three of these little muscles) What they are doing on the stomach is holding food in the stomach until it is ready to be passed along to the small intestines. The sphincter on the top keeps the food from coming back up on you. And yes, sometimes it does fail. But if you notice, in the case of a sour stomach, the food is pretty watery by then. the sphincter is not water tight.
The Small Intestines
After the food is processed in the stomach, it enters the duodenum, the first part of the small intestines. It then enters the jejunum and then the ileum, the final part of the small intestine. In the small intestine, bile, which is produced in the liver and stored in the gall bladder; pancreatic enzymes, and other digestive enzymes produced by the inner wall of the small intestine assists in the breakdown of food even further.
The Colon
Now it’s time to enter the large intestines, more commonly called the colon. In the large intestine, some of the water and electrolytes, which are chemicals like sodium are removed from the food. Many microbes bacteria like Bacteroides, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Escherichia coli, and Klebsiella in the colon help in the digestion process. The first part of the large intestine is called the cecum; the appendix is connected to the cecum. Food then travels upward in the ascending colon. The food travels across the abdomen in the transverse colon, goes back down the other side of the body in the descending colon, and then through the sigmoid colon.
The Final Process
By now the food cannot be broken down any further and it has become solid waste. It is stored in the rectum and released through the anus.
Digestive System Problems
Some people may have a problem digesting. If this is a situation for you, see a health care provider you can trust. There are many ailments that could be bothering you. I would like to recommend a solution, but at this point the idea is ludicrous. But this I feel comfortable to tell you. When ever I have what is called acid reflux, I will take a table spoon of 5 percent acid apple vinegar to relieve it. I appreciate homeopathic remedies.
What the TV commercials won’t tell you is that the stomach thinks it is not producing enough acid to digest the food there so it goes ballistic trying to create the acid needed. You have to tell the stomach there is enough acid there. Give it the vinegar and it stops churning out acid. It doesn’t taste as bad as it sounds. Try it next time. Unless, of course you have an allergy to any part of vinegar. Then, in that case I revert back to my first suggestion and see a trusted health care provider.
Getting to Know High and Low Lipoproteins
What Did That Say?
In this blog we are talking about high and low density lipoproteins. They are also known as HDL and LDL’s.
Let’s break this down. HDL~High Density Lipoprotein. This is the good cholesterol you want in your system.
LDL~Low Density Lipoprotein. The bad cholesterol that is in your system. You do need some, just not much of it.
There is a ratio of cholesterol that has to be kept. But we’ll talk about that later.
Lipoproteins
These are the guys who carry cholesterol to and from the cells. When too much of it turns out to be LDL (the bad stuff) it builds up in the arteries and the body is developing problems for the cardiovascular system.
High levels of HDL is a good thing to have carrying the cholesterol around in your system. HDL’s protect you from heart attacks. However low levels of HDL’s seem to increase the risk of heart attacks. So, it should go without saying that LDL and HDL levels should have an LDL HDL ratio.
LDL HDL Ratio
The LDL HDL ratio is figured like this:
When a person goes in for a cholesterol test, known as a lipid panel, the results are going to list several numbers. These are the LDL HDL numbers along with other cholesterols that go with it. Take the HDL/LDL number and divide the LDL into the HDL. e.g. the HDL is 40 mg/dL and the LDL number is 160 mg/dL. The ratio is at 0.25. The ratio should be kept above 0.3 mg/dL with the ideal rate at 0.4.
Knowing this data now, should this person raise his LDL or HDL? Because HDL should be kept at a level higher than 40, and because LDL IS bad, of course he is going to raise his HDL.
How to Get Rid of or at Least Cut back on LDL’s
If you have read my other blogs mentioning medicines and prescriptions, you know I am pretty much against them. There are better solutions to improving your LDL HDL ratio. My favorite remedy for a high LDL level is to take Lecithin. Lecithin is a fat that has a lot to do with the body to include the brain (which is about 30 percent lecithin) and blood flow. It also helps protect with the nervous system because the myelin that does protect it is almost two thirds lecithin.
But getting to the blood flow part, lecithin acts as an agent in the arteries that is capable of breaking fat into tine particles which can pass into the tissues. Therefore, it allows blood to flow through the system easier.
Cures and Remedies
Head Aches
I hope this does not get too controversial for anyone. I get the impression some people don’t understand where I am coming from and I have different ideas about the health world. What I mean is; take a head ache, for instance. There are several types of head aches. A tension head ache is brought on by stress. Okay, what is the best relief for stress? Exercise. A good, strenuous workout. Unless, of course you are at work and there is no gym to go to. Now what? Take a daily dose of vitamin B1 and E. Thiamin, (B1) has an ability to relax a person. Stress wanes with the help of it. Vitamin E helps open the blood vessels in the brain to allow blood flow more freely. Give it say, 15-20 minutes to allow it to get into the system before you feel results. Why take aspirin? there are side affects to aspirin. Taking organic vitamins is not going to harm the body the way aspirin can.
When your body is lacking electrolytes, it informs you through a head ache. How do you handle that one? I would take the above recommendation PLUS Sea Salts, maybe four or five tablets (they’re the size of an aspirin) and about a teaspoon or two of bio-plasma. Depending on where you get bio-plasma, it can be sweet, or it can be rather plain tasting. Either way, let it dissolve on your tongue.
Warts
Warts are caused by a virus. (Now there’s a lovely subject) the virus is called human papillomavirus (HPV). Not too sure if you can take a pill to stop it, but there is an agent you can put on it. It is a topical liquid that fights against the HPV virus and the wart is gone without any scaring. Understand there are over 100 types of this virus that we know of. What happens is that this HPV thing gets into the skin through a break and rapidly grows a hard protein called keratin which creates this hard, dark bump on your skin. They do go away, in months or even years, but who wants to wait that long.
Colds
We have all heard the adage; “We can put a man on the moon but can’t cure the common cold.” Gotta ask you; what do you think vitamin C is?Some people think chicken soup is. No. What chicken soup does is make you feel good that someone (like Mom) put them self out enough to do something for you. That is why we feel better over chicken soup while having a cold.
Do you know how many different strains of the cold there are? Neither do I. But there are enough to understand that there is no such thing as a “common cold”. There are too many strains of them. And get this; once you contract a strain of a cold you are immune to it. So, if you catch another cold, it’s a different strain. Did you ever notice, vitamin C always seems to put the biggest dent into any cold the virus world can whip up.
If you want to get your hands on any of these remedies, I have a link for you to go to here. This one is good for wart removal.
Or for a more natural product go here. This one is good for most any cure you may have. But they are both great in their own rite.
A Little Bit on Relaxation and Breathing
Stress
Here’s something none of us experience. Right? Hardly. We all go through stress I dare to say, daily. Weather it’s being late for work, arguing with friends and/or family, the in-laws are coming, we all feel over whelmed now and then over something. How do you relieve stress?
The Steps to Relaxing
That’s right. There are more than one step to relaxing. To give you a scenario, let’s say you are stuck in traffic. There was an accident a mile ahead and everyone is all but stopped and you need to get to work in 15 minutes. What do you do? I know! Scream at the traffic to move while laying on the horn. That never failed me! Well… it never failed me to look like a maniac behind a wheel.
Try this instead. Step 1~ Clear your mind. Forget about the problem(s) at hand. Getting worked up over them will not solve anything. Getting worked up won’t change a thing.
Step 2~ Sit with your posture straight. But don’t tense your muscles. Just feel the strength of your body.
Step 3~ Now that your mind is clear and your body is straight, breathe in slowly through your nose. Count how many seconds it takes you to breathe in. Take the air in as deeply as possible. This is important; use your diaphragm to breathe with. In other words, your abdomen will expand when you breathe in.
Step 4~ Exhale through your mouth and count to yourself just like you did when you breathed in. The amount of time should be twice as long. That’s how slowly exhaling should be. OH, if the traffic moved a bit, move with it. Remember, you’re driving.
Step 5~ This is the easiest step. Repeat twice.
At this point, you should feel more relaxed than before. If not, try it again until you do.
Where Did This Come From?
This is not some new technique someone just stumbled across a few years ago. Oh no. The Asians have been practicing relaxing techniques for thousands of years. Between China and India there is a thing called self applied health enhancement methods. The techniques go beyond just breathing. They also include remedies like:
- relaxation
- gentle movement
- reflex stimulation
- focus
- meditation
- self message
- visualization
and so much more. All for the benefit of relieving stress. This is only an abbreviated list of what the Asians have been working on over the centuries. I have yet witnessed any Asian remedy fail. As a matter of fact, I have never seen in any of the windows of an Asian herbal store list any side affects the herbs may cause. Ever listen to the Western medicine advertised on TV? That crap causes everything from blurred vision to death. Who needs that crap anyway?
No, I’m not going to get started.
I spent a little over two and a half years in Tokyo. I now live in Seattle. You could refer to this city as Little Asia. We have Asian professionals in the natural healing field all over this area, in all types of genres. They all seem to be reasonably priced and their methods really work. I’d rather go to one of these doctors than to an AMA PhD. I know two things will happen: 1) I will be relieved of my ailment and 2) I will live.
MSG | The Poison That Causes Cancer
I’m not trying to be a “whistle blower” with these blogs. Please understand that. But some things are just too unreal for me to fathom how things get out of hand. So! guess what we are going to talk about today.
There is so much information on MSG, it’s hard to know where, exactly to begin.
Actually, there is a lot written about this subject. We all know that MSG (and aspartame) causes cancer. Aspartame is more linked with leukemia.
Who invented MSG?
Actually, it was a discovery.
Asians use ingredients (with high concentrations of MSG) traditionally in their cooking as a flavor enhancement. They, however, didn’t know about the MSG being in the foods after the additions. It wasn’t until 1908 that a Professor Kikunai Ikeda of Tokyo University, Japan, found that soup stocks made from Laminaria Japonica; which is a seaweed that has been added to soups for centuries contributed to high levels of MSG to what they were cooking.
What is this stuff, anyway?
MSG is short for mono-sodium glutamate. However, this goes by many, many different names you will find on labels. Ever read on a label “natural flavors”? Sounds like a delicious ingredient, doesn’t it? Well, that’s MSG. Anything that lists anything “hydrolyzed” is MSG. The list of names goes on for quite some length, and the purpose of this blog is to bring your awareness up for you to be more aware of how MSG is listed. This is also put into baby food under names like broth, caseinate hydrolyzed protein, soy extracts and broth. These are sources of glutamate. Think about it. This is going into an infant’s system ruining their nervous system. I’ll send you to lists that have the names of foods that contain this poison later. For now, just hang with me.
What Does MSG and Aspartame Do?
When glutamate is exposed to cancer cells, it expedites their mobility and promotes their growth.
So, like I said earlier, MSG (glutamate) is a carcinogen. It has been proven in the lab. Now, let’s take one can of diet soda which contains Nutra Sweet. What is Nutra Sweet? A substance that contains aspartame. What does aspartame do to the system? Glad you asked. But it is a long, complicated explanation to get into but, long story short, it combines with your DNA and causes cancer. (eventually of course)
How Does MSG Get Into the System?
Here is something that will never cease to amaze me.
The Horrors of Cancer
What is Cancer
There has been a lot of studying and fund raising going on having to do with cancer. What do you know, they discovered what cancer is! I’m sure you all know that cancer is where the cells in the body go nuts and grow uncontrollably. Then they have the audacity of not dying like a normal cell will. So, what happens is that they form masses called tumors. The tumors grows out of control like the cells do. These are the lumps you may feel when examining for cancer.
Okay, this is a quick synapses of what cancer is. Hang in there kids, we are in for a shock in a minute or two.
Causes of Cancer
It is said that cancer is caused by smoking, asbestos, arsenic, sun radiation and X-rays. Here, one must ask: Based on what? Sure my father died from cancer and he warned me and my four siblings about the dangers of smoking after admitting he smoked five packs of cigarettes for 35 years. Then we watched him “quit” smoking as he lit who knows how many cigars a day. That was his idea of quitting smoking. I have to admit, Dad did go through about a month of fasting from his addiction and we all felt his stress as he’d reach for his shirt pocket looking for his next “cancer stick”. then he’d cuss and discipline himself not to smoke. Finally, he gave the command: SOMEBODY GO TO THE STORE AND GET ME A CIGAR!! He bellowed. And I did. His justifier was that he was not inhaling the smoke. Right! That worked up until the time he had a quarter of his tongue removed.
Then there was my maternal grandmother (Theresa) who never smoked a cigarette in her life. I watched her live through cancer with a double mastectomy and a few years later passed on. Living through cancer is a very painful experience. Not only for the victim but, for the entire family.
Theresa was a nurse and was never around arsenic or asbestos. So, how did she contract the illness, this disease? I know it’s not contagious. How accurate are the claims about the causes of cancer? Who looked into a cancer cell and looked at what might be inside? Ever hear of Dr. Royal Rife?
Dr. Rife was a brilliant, brilliant man. He created inventions that made modern medicine what it is today in some respects with microscopes, the micro-dissector and the micro-manipulator. This man just may go down as one of the worlds most brilliant minds.
The Actual Cause and Cure of Cancer
Dr. Rife, back in the 1930′s did a thorough study on cancer. He made a study on cancer for at least a decade. He biopsied many cancer cells and found the same thing in the center of each cell. It was parasitic excretions. Without fail, he found excreation in the center of every cancer cell he looked into. Not only that, he invented an electronic machine to cure cancer too.
Imagine, the cause and cure for cancer has been known to us for 70 years… WAIT! WHOA! STOP! We have known this for 70 years and we are still “searching” for the cure for cancer? What the Sam Hill happened? We have been cheated, lied to and misguided. All for the sake of money.
Think about it. If the AMA came up for a cure for anything, much less a cure for cancer, how much money would the AMA be out of? According to the Washington Post June 10, 2008, in 2002 the initial cost for cancer care in the US alone was $6.7 billion. That’s just the initial cost.
Don’t go around saying that the AMA is totally evil. They do have a place in society. We do need doctors to heal broken bones and such but, I am tired of being asked for donation for “finding the cause and cure for cancer” when we have had all this information for 70 years.
Here is only one site for Dr. Rife. There are many others. Try a Google on Dr. Rife and see how many sites you get.
Herbal Vitamins Simply Put
If you have read my blog on Liquid Vitamins, you already know that herbal vitamins and made from plant-based ingredients.
Synthetically made vitamins and minerals are simply a mirrored version of the true vitamin and the body will not necessarily recognize the substance it is “looking at”. If the body doesn’t see what it needs, it merely sends it through the digestive system and passes it sending your money into the sewage. (Yuk)
In am probably dating myself, but a health instructor named Jack La Lane once said: “If it’s man-made, spit it out”. Jack had his own TV show dealing in exercising on a daily schedule. He touched on nutrition a bit too. I watched him when I was but a lad. (in the late 50′s or early 60′s)
Looking at that …”spit it out” statement, it makes a lot of sense. Our bodies are made to use natural substances to keep it healthy. Why would you want to put an unnatural substance into your body, especially if it isn’t going to do your body any good?
To reiterate, When you read the label of a supplement bottle, if it gives you the source of the nutrition such as:
- Vitamin A carrots
- Vitamin C cherries
- Vitamin K kale
and so forth, you are holding a bottle of Herbal Vitamins. If you get liquid or gel caps herbal vitamins, you are better off for it.
Your body will appreciate you keeping your health up.
If you are interested in feeling better with your health, I found something that you may want to have for your own. I located some really well established, awesome stores you can get supplements from. Go here to get some supplements that just may give you a kick to keep you going through you day.
If that’s not what you’re looking for, you can try this.
If you’re more interested in a organic vitamin, try this place.
The Blessings of Liquid Vitamins
Where are Vitamins Going Today
There has been a thorough study on liquid vitamins. The results of this study is will span all health concerns.
Quite a statement, isn’t it? So, let’s take a look at what I am saying.
The change from pill to liquid vitamins as well as liquid minerals is going on now and will continue into the future, as far as many are concerned. It will greatly impact the health industry and the health of individuals. I’m not going to sit here and tell you I know all there is to know about how vitamins are made in a plant. I don’t know the exact process. But what is rather obvious is how it will impact the health of people.
Pills vs Liquids
When we take pills as our means of nutritional intake, the pill has to dissolve and then be absorbed into the system. I don’t like saying this but, most pills on the market are poorly made in that they come with a coating (for whatever reason) and that coating almost never (if ever) breaks down. You can figure out what happens from there. The coating is intact, the pill won’t dissolve, the nutrition can’t be absorbed and the pill (and your money) is wasted. Viola!
Do you really want that for your health and system? Me either.
Liquids, on the other hand have no coating. They are not solid. Liquid does not need to dissolve. It’s liquid! Therefore, it is more readily absorbed into the system. The body responds to liquid a lot faster than it does to solid pills.
Is there any thing else needing to be said in this debate?
As an aside; when I am talking about “poorly made pills”, I’m referring to the pills which are sold in supermarkets. I am not talking about the pills you can buy in health stores. All the health stores I’ve been to understand the importance of quality in supplements and don’t fudge on it.
The Make-up of Vitamins
I don’t know exactly how they do it, but I do know this. There are two different types of ingredients that can make-up vitamins. One is man-made (synthetic) ingredients and the other is natural ingredients.
Guess which one you should get? The body is not totally familiar with synthetic vitamins and may not absorb such substances. So, they get passed through the digestive system and into the bowl. Talk about money down the drain. Look for vitamins that are listed on the label that are from fruits and vegetables (aka plant-based). If you find that the vitamins on the back label are listed as:
- Vitamin A (carrots)
- Vitamin C (cherries)
and so forth, now you’re dealing with natural vitamins. The source is listed with the nutrient. If you see that a synthetic name is following the nutrient, then, chances are, it is not a plant-based vitamin. As long as vitamins are considered as food, (and they are) you may as well get your supplements from… food. The vitamins and minerals that are made from plant-base ingredients are also known as “herbal supplements”.
A Final Word
You will find liquid vitamins and liquid minerals in either bottles or gel caps. Bottles will normally come with a measuring cup so you won’t have to guess how big of a dose you are taking. Please be sure to follow the directions on the container for how much to take on a daily basis.
Even though vitamins are food, it should be said that there is nothing that says they should take the place of food. Actually, supplements are a decision to take. It is merely my opinion that all people should take them based on what studies show in the depleting nutrition levels of the earth. Everyone needs to consume a balanced diet. That balanced diet should be supported with supplements. But, it is up to you.
Detox Home Grown Suppliments
Do you feel sluggish? Mentally dull? Do you have weight you just can’t seem to lose no matter how hard you try? What do you suppose is going on? Chances are, you need to detox. You need to remove the toxins from you system. There are several ways to accomplish such a feat. And all these means to remove toxins should be employed.
A number of food items are going to be needed first. As the title says, you can grow these items OR you can buy them at any super market. It’s up to you. What you will want to use is:
- Echinacea~ This ingredient will fight off illness. It is also used to cleanse the lymphatic system, purify the blood and, of course, filter toxins from the body.
- Licorice root~ Licorice root is a mild laxative and aids with digestion. It is also a detoxifier that balances biochemical functions of the body.
- Garlic~ This is a goody that lowers blood pressure, cleanses the blood, is a natural antibiotic and reduces blood fats.
- Fresh Ginger~ To induce sweating and stimulate blood circulation.
- Parsley Leaf~ To help flush kidneys.
- Cayenne~ Used to produce sweat and clean the blood
- Coriander/Cilantro~ Will aid in eliminating heavy metals. You don’t need lead and mercury in your system.
- Red Clover Blossom~ Also to cleanse the blood and aid in the healing process
Now this takes us back to why I mentioned about the several different ways we should employ to detoxify. Did you notice what these ingredients do? Perspire, eliminate, flush etc.
You can and should find fun ways to consume these ingredients. You don’t have to blend these items together and drink them or anything like that. Put them in drinks, make salads with some of these things. Get creative with them.
What makes a good detox program? Well, usually a good program lasts for nine days. BUT! Everybody is different. You always, always, always consult a Health Practitioner before starting any program like I am describing. Have the practitioner educate you on what may happen. To be honest with you, you are going to experience some negative side effects that you just may want to know about and be prepared for before beginning. Side effects like:
just to name a few.
The good news is that at the end of it all you will feel:
- Mentally alert
- Energetic
- Weight loss
- Clearer complexion
- Healthier digestive system
again, just to name a few. Both lists are longer but, I think you get the message. Yes, you will feel worse before feeling better. But the better feelings are worth the whole process. From there, you just have to watch what you’re eating. Because it was the foods you ate that got you into the mess you felt you were in.
I can’t stress this enough. Eat organic foods! Stay away from processed, fast, fatty foods.
Here. I found you a site you can go to read up on a lot of topics regarding this subject. Enjoy.
BHA | BHT Preservatives from Hell
What Is BHA and BHT?
Have you ever wondered about the additives that are put into our foods? I’ve been snooping around and found some fairly interesting facts about some of the crap that is being fed to us.
Butylated hydroxyanisol (aka BHA) is an additive which is put into fatty foods like butter, meats, cereal, snack foods, beer and much more to preserve the food (or drink in beer’s case).
Butylated hydroxytoluene (aka BHT) is another additive to preserve food odor, color and flavor. You will also find it in the packaging of foods. And like BHA, it is found in fatty and oily foods too.
Is This Stuff Safe?
It should be known that these two additives are known as antioxidants. A good thing. Right? Well, that by itself is a good thing, if that were the end of it. The other side of the coin is that they both are a carcinogenic or tumorigenicity. However, it should be understood that this was found in testing using high doses of both these products. This leaves the question: Could it cause tumors and cancer in us n normal use? Perhaps further testing needs to be done on that question.
It has been found that some people do have a hard time metabolizing both BHA and BHT and they both could cause health and behavior changes. It also seems to work on the immune system.
Some of the professionals list the reactions to BHA and BHT as allergies. If you read what these so-called allergies are, you’d understand that they are actually illnesses. “Allergies” like disturbed sleep, asthma, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea are now allergies? I hardly think so. Of course there are reactions that should be categorized as allergies. Swelling of the throat, itchy eyes and mouth, sure, let’s call those allergies. But if it needs to broken down into two different categories then please do so.
Other studies show that BHA and BHT have a possible antiviral and antimicrobial activity to them. I don’t know why, but… this just does not sound good. Can you see how the above illnesses or allergies can come into play here? Do you think BHA and BHT may have something to do with it?
Need I go back to reminding you to eat organic foods? It is so important for your health and well being. Mind you, this is just a small blurb to the problems we are having with our food and just a couple reasons as to why. Go here for more info on BHA and BHT and do a search for BHA and BHT at the top of the Home Page. Then give it more thought as to why you should be eating better, more pure food.
I’ll let this lady tell you more about BHA and BHT. Enjoy.
www.vitabase.com
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