Hello friends, and welcome to this month’s Joyinmovement newsletter,
Last month’s “cellular” conversation brought many replies
to my inbox, and as always I thank you for your continued interest and
enthusiasm for the topics I discuss. This month I turn your attention to
another movement topic: your digestive tract.
to my inbox, and as always I thank you for your continued interest and
enthusiasm for the topics I discuss. This month I turn your attention to
another movement topic: your digestive tract.
As you know, I am a student of life and of all the
many facets of health and wellness that create a better balance in us,
thereby allowing for a fuller expression of who we are. Last month I
wrote about cellular health and how our cells are the basic building
blocks, and suggested some things we can all pay attention to in
creating cellular health. Another crucial area to understand is our
digestion and elimination. Without throwing too much technical
information your way I’d like to briefly explain how digestion works.
many facets of health and wellness that create a better balance in us,
thereby allowing for a fuller expression of who we are. Last month I
wrote about cellular health and how our cells are the basic building
blocks, and suggested some things we can all pay attention to in
creating cellular health. Another crucial area to understand is our
digestion and elimination. Without throwing too much technical
information your way I’d like to briefly explain how digestion works.
The digestive tract consists of a tube that runs
throughout the body starting at your mouth and ending at your rectum.
The portion in the stomach and small intestine is devoted to digestion
and assimilation, and the portion in the colon handles elimination. The
small intestine is a sterile environment and the colon portion is filled
with microorganisms that are often toxic. Your digestive system was
designed to flow downwards to insure that no backup takes place from the
polluted environment of the colon into the small intestine portion.
Your ileocecal valve handles the job of preventing this backup. From the
many sources that I have read, it seems that the ileoceal valve is not
working efficiently in many people, so that the contents of the large
bowel back up into the no longer sterile environment of the small
intestine. This means that toxins will enter your bloodstream,
overburdening your liver and creating a whole host of health problems.
throughout the body starting at your mouth and ending at your rectum.
The portion in the stomach and small intestine is devoted to digestion
and assimilation, and the portion in the colon handles elimination. The
small intestine is a sterile environment and the colon portion is filled
with microorganisms that are often toxic. Your digestive system was
designed to flow downwards to insure that no backup takes place from the
polluted environment of the colon into the small intestine portion.
Your ileocecal valve handles the job of preventing this backup. From the
many sources that I have read, it seems that the ileoceal valve is not
working efficiently in many people, so that the contents of the large
bowel back up into the no longer sterile environment of the small
intestine. This means that toxins will enter your bloodstream,
overburdening your liver and creating a whole host of health problems.
One of the things that will prevent this backup is
to make sure that you have healthy elimination habits. Bowel health is
critical. At the far end of your bowel is the sigmoid rectal junction
which has a right angle bend. If this section gets too kinked your bowel
passage will get blocked. If we add to this blockage problem our
cultural habit of restraining our bowels until it is convenient to
eliminate, plus the use of the Western style toilet (which I’ll discuss)
we can create quite an unhealthy situation, again overburdening the
liver.
to make sure that you have healthy elimination habits. Bowel health is
critical. At the far end of your bowel is the sigmoid rectal junction
which has a right angle bend. If this section gets too kinked your bowel
passage will get blocked. If we add to this blockage problem our
cultural habit of restraining our bowels until it is convenient to
eliminate, plus the use of the Western style toilet (which I’ll discuss)
we can create quite an unhealthy situation, again overburdening the
liver.
We can say that a faulty digestive tract in the
human body is like backed up plumbing in a drain! Call it your
intestinal plumbing. Ideally, the amount and timing of elimination
should vary directly with the amount and timing of our food intake.
About 2300 years ago Hippocrates, the Father of Medicine, said, “If you
drink enough water, eat just the necessary food in sufficient quantity,
and develop the abdominal muscles by suitable exercises, it is
surprising how soon you will regain that regular normal habit of
evacuation by which alone health, happiness and freedom from disease can
be insured.”
human body is like backed up plumbing in a drain! Call it your
intestinal plumbing. Ideally, the amount and timing of elimination
should vary directly with the amount and timing of our food intake.
About 2300 years ago Hippocrates, the Father of Medicine, said, “If you
drink enough water, eat just the necessary food in sufficient quantity,
and develop the abdominal muscles by suitable exercises, it is
surprising how soon you will regain that regular normal habit of
evacuation by which alone health, happiness and freedom from disease can
be insured.”
The name Kellogg, as in Dr. John Harvey Kellogg,
might be a familiar name to most of us. Did you know, though, that he
was a bowel surgeon? In his day he wrote a book called Colon Hygiene.
After operating on thousands of bowels, he came to the conclusion that
toxins from blocked and distorted bowels were responsible for many
diseases. He was a big proponent of teaching people proper sitting and
standing posture so as not to induce weakened abdominal muscles, thereby
alleviating the pressure put on the liver and other abdominal organs.
Kellogg wrote, “An erect posture secures proper exercise of the muscles
of the trunk, correct breathing, normal circulation of blood and normal
bowel movements.”
might be a familiar name to most of us. Did you know, though, that he
was a bowel surgeon? In his day he wrote a book called Colon Hygiene.
After operating on thousands of bowels, he came to the conclusion that
toxins from blocked and distorted bowels were responsible for many
diseases. He was a big proponent of teaching people proper sitting and
standing posture so as not to induce weakened abdominal muscles, thereby
alleviating the pressure put on the liver and other abdominal organs.
Kellogg wrote, “An erect posture secures proper exercise of the muscles
of the trunk, correct breathing, normal circulation of blood and normal
bowel movements.”
OK OK…..I know after reading all this you’re
looking for some recommendations to keep that plumbing system of yours
in tip top shape. First though, let’s go back for a minute in our
discussion to the topic of toilets. And I can’t discuss toilets without
talking about one of my favorite topics of the past few years:
SQUATTING. In case you didn’t know this, squatting is the natural
posture of elimination. In a squatting position, the bowel is supported
and aligned by the thighs contact with the abdominal wall. It also
supports the proper functioning of the ileocecal valve. Squatting was
the position used for elimination throughout the ages until 1850 when in
England both the toilet and plumbing came on the scene. We have Joseph
Bramah and Thomas Crapper to thank for the toilet’s creation. They were
not medical men and had no idea of the mechanical advantages that
squatting offers our bodies during elimination. It was in the early
1900’s that doctors started seeing increases in certain diseases and the
toilet convention fell under question.
looking for some recommendations to keep that plumbing system of yours
in tip top shape. First though, let’s go back for a minute in our
discussion to the topic of toilets. And I can’t discuss toilets without
talking about one of my favorite topics of the past few years:
SQUATTING. In case you didn’t know this, squatting is the natural
posture of elimination. In a squatting position, the bowel is supported
and aligned by the thighs contact with the abdominal wall. It also
supports the proper functioning of the ileocecal valve. Squatting was
the position used for elimination throughout the ages until 1850 when in
England both the toilet and plumbing came on the scene. We have Joseph
Bramah and Thomas Crapper to thank for the toilet’s creation. They were
not medical men and had no idea of the mechanical advantages that
squatting offers our bodies during elimination. It was in the early
1900’s that doctors started seeing increases in certain diseases and the
toilet convention fell under question.
A few more things about squatting:
*When you squat, there are reflexes
in your hamstrings that are “turned on” so to speak, that help
elimination. Squatting is also super effective for strengthening your
abdominal muscles because it realigns your pelvic geometry.
in your hamstrings that are “turned on” so to speak, that help
elimination. Squatting is also super effective for strengthening your
abdominal muscles because it realigns your pelvic geometry.
*Start squatting and you’ll
likely see a difference in your pot-belly or what’s called a slack-gut.
When we stop squatting and sit in chairs, toilets and the like, certain
muscle groups like hamstrings, calves and adductors begin to shorten,
hips start to flare outward, and a whole host of pains (particularly in
your low back) begin. Your buttocks then gets sucked under and you
create a flat rear end. Notice how people with pot bellies usually have
no rear end!
likely see a difference in your pot-belly or what’s called a slack-gut.
When we stop squatting and sit in chairs, toilets and the like, certain
muscle groups like hamstrings, calves and adductors begin to shorten,
hips start to flare outward, and a whole host of pains (particularly in
your low back) begin. Your buttocks then gets sucked under and you
create a flat rear end. Notice how people with pot bellies usually have
no rear end!
*In certain cultures an
individual who can’t squat flat footed is considered sick!
individual who can’t squat flat footed is considered sick!
*The major acupuncture bowel points
are activated and stretched by the squatting posture!
are activated and stretched by the squatting posture!
*In Yoga squatting is
considered a supreme posture for increasing energy in the body.
considered a supreme posture for increasing energy in the body.
Not
sure how to squat? If you have taken a class, workshop, retreat or hung
out with me for any length of time, you know plenty about squatting. If
you are not sure what the proper way to squat is, I’d suggest talking
with your Yoga teacher or a strength and conditioning coach to learn
proper form. It is too difficult for me in a newsletter to describe
squatting, so if you are still confused, e-mail me.
sure how to squat? If you have taken a class, workshop, retreat or hung
out with me for any length of time, you know plenty about squatting. If
you are not sure what the proper way to squat is, I’d suggest talking
with your Yoga teacher or a strength and conditioning coach to learn
proper form. It is too difficult for me in a newsletter to describe
squatting, so if you are still confused, e-mail me.
To recap, when the digestive tract and bowel are
dysfunctional and backed up, it puts a burden on your bloodstream and
can clog the liver, which then allows toxins from the bowel to circulate
in the bloodstream. As we talked about in last month’s newsletter, your
bloodstream is your engine oil and you don’t want to be running on
dirty oil!
dysfunctional and backed up, it puts a burden on your bloodstream and
can clog the liver, which then allows toxins from the bowel to circulate
in the bloodstream. As we talked about in last month’s newsletter, your
bloodstream is your engine oil and you don’t want to be running on
dirty oil!
I’m suggesting that you try SQUATTING when you move
your bowels. There are a few ways you can do this. There are products
you can buy to use while sitting on your toilet that will raise your
feet up into a squatting position. While sitting on your toilet, you can
also put your feet up on the edges of your bathroom trash pail. You can
put your feet on top of the toilet seat itself and squat over the
toilet. Get creative and let me know how it goes.
your bowels. There are a few ways you can do this. There are products
you can buy to use while sitting on your toilet that will raise your
feet up into a squatting position. While sitting on your toilet, you can
also put your feet up on the edges of your bathroom trash pail. You can
put your feet on top of the toilet seat itself and squat over the
toilet. Get creative and let me know how it goes.
Practice your squatting as an exercise (outside of
your bathroom) whenever and wherever you can. It will help balance your
pelvis, decrease low back pain, flatten the abdomen, tone the buttocks
and increase your energy. I have been having a ton of fun squatting and
getting my feet flat on the ground, and am almost there—it has been
quite a journey and I welcome you aboard the squat train anytime.
your bathroom) whenever and wherever you can. It will help balance your
pelvis, decrease low back pain, flatten the abdomen, tone the buttocks
and increase your energy. I have been having a ton of fun squatting and
getting my feet flat on the ground, and am almost there—it has been
quite a journey and I welcome you aboard the squat train anytime.
I hope the information I’ve passed along has been of
some value to you. I know the newsletter ran rather long this time
around, but hey, your digestive tract is about 30 feet in length so I
figured it deserved at least a few more paragraphs than usual!!
some value to you. I know the newsletter ran rather long this time
around, but hey, your digestive tract is about 30 feet in length so I
figured it deserved at least a few more paragraphs than usual!!
Have a great month, and may all your
movements–bowel and otherwise be healthy!
movements–bowel and otherwise be healthy!
shelli
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