Colonoscopy… Alternative Screening Options

Avoiding a Colonoscopy?

How many of you would like to avoid having a colonoscopy? Colorectal cancer is the second leading form of cancer in the United States. It is diagnosed in 130,000 people each year in the United States alone. Current research links obesity with increased risk of colorectal cancer. These findings suggest that a high calorie diet turns of a key hormone that is secreted in the intestines, which deactivates tumor suppression. Lifestyle is extremely important in maintaining gut health! Doctors also recommend regular screening for colorectal cancer prevention.

Concerns about the procedure

Colonics are an effective procedure for helping to prepare for a colonoscopy and can be much more comfortable than the prescriptions used to evacuate the intestines. Many of our clients have expressed concern about the colonoscopy procedure. Did you know that:

Doctor’s often require a bowel preparation (as much as 3 days)
The procedure requires sedation
The risks from sedation and passage of the six foot long tube into your colon are considerable
The bowel is perforated in 1 out of every 1000 procedures
Unclean practices can result in the introduction of pathogens into your body
The procedure costs up to $3000 each

Alternatives to colonoscopy

Fortunately, there are some great alternatives for screening. First is the sigmoidoscopy. The scope is only two feet in length with two bends. The procedure takes only 10 minutes and costs only around $200.

A client informed me of another option, which is an easy to use stool DNA test that can be done at home! You simply collect a stool sample which is mailed to a lab for diagnosis. The lab looks for DNA markers that indicate the presence of collateral cancer. There is no special preparation, no diet changes, and no time off work or play! Cologuard is available by prescription only, so you will have to see your doctor in order to get the kit.

Colonoscopy - Digestive system image

May 30, 2014December 11, 2015

Massage for Digestive Disorders

Massage is Effective for Treatment of Digestive Orders

~100 % of American adults, if they live long enough, will suffer from bowel irritation.
~The #1 cancer among both men and women is colon and rectal cancer.
~When the colon is healthy, it will produce 2 of more well-formed bowel movements per day.
~If your stools are not expelled effortless, then you are constipated!

In treating digestive disorders, massage therapists apply gentle pressure to the abdominal region, looking for areas of congestion including bloating and gas.This treatment may stimulate peristalsis, which is a rhythmic movement of the digestive tract. Abdominal massage may also help remove masses of fecal matter that have become trapped in diverticula (areas of the intestinal wall that have become weak creating pouches).

Massage is also used to relieve tension and anxiety that can exacerbate irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). During an acute flare up of IBS, therapists limit massage to neck, shoulder, back, legs and arms to reduce tension and avoid aggravation of irritation.

Therapies that induce relaxation are also important in the treatment of Crohn’s disease which results in chronic pain. Although, abdominal massage should be avoided during acute phases.

abdominalmassage

December 12, 2013December 11, 2015

Juice Cleansing

Juice cleansing is an effective way to induce dynamic healing within the body. Over time the body fills with toxins and begins to work less efficiently. This is due to eating cooked and processed foods, bad food combining, high protein diets, eating late at night, stress, pollution and overeating. This leads to fermentation and harmful intercellular gases in the digestive tract. Juice cleansing is effective because the food is already broken down and essentially predigested. By cleansing the digestive system is able to rest and return to a homeostatic state because not as much energy is being consumed to break down foods.

A dirty digestive system is the root of degenerative and acute illness. By starting with the gut, we can start at the source. Juice cleansing allows a break from the exertion of digestion and thus increases vital force throughout the body. This vital force enables an immunological response by the body to cleanse and heal.

How It Works

Juice cleansing in particular can help boost immunity throughout the body because all of the foods that are in the juices are alkalizing. If done properly, all of the body’s needs are me through an ideal combination of protein, carbohydrates, fats, salts, vitamins, and minerals. The juice pulls endogenous acids (toxins) from body cells and restore them into the blood stream where they are expelled and processed through normal waste function.

Juicing is not for everyone. No two bodies are the same and it is important to honor your body and what it needs. Some individuals do better on a cleanse where they eat simple raw vegan whole foods. It is also important not to over cleanse or stay in the cleanse for too long. The body needs to be nourished in order to build and repair itself. By cleansing once a year and building strength through healing nutrition you can help your body thrive!

Written by Leanna Defere

December 9, 2013December 11, 2015

Deep Tissue Massage Helps Relieve Muscle Soreness

Snow shoveling can lead to body aches and pains. Here are some tips to help alleviate some of these issues.

1. Try warming up your muscles a bit before going out to shovel.

2. Stretch before and after.

3. Lift heavy snow using your knees… not your shoulders and back.

4. Take breaks if there’s a lot of shoveling to be done… this will help to avoid strain.

5. Take a hot shower or bath or apply moist heat to those sore areas.

And, if this doesn’t alleviate your soreness and/or pain, consult a certified massage therapist at Living Arts Wellness snowshoveling

November 20, 2013December 11, 2015

Healthy Holiday Eating Guidelines

By: Leanna DeFere

—Food Combining

-Aid digestion by being mindful not only in flavor combining but by avoiding fruit/ dairy, hot/cold, raw/cooked combinations. These can upset digestion.

—Eat with the Season

-When we eat seasonally we save money. This is because stores and markets have an abundance of these foods. Also we tend to eat more locally grown foods. Local foods support local farmers. They travel less distance and usually contain less pesticides—making them fresher.

—Eat in a designated space

-By having a space for our eating meals can become sacred times to nourish our body. Sit at a table with your utensils and foods laid out before you begin eating. This helps to alleviate anxiety around meal times. Make this space sacred. When present in the space avoid emotional conversations. Allowing the space to remain in a neutral energy.

—Limiting Liquids

When eating avoid taking in liquids, this will weaken digestion and absorption of nutrients. Ideally liquid can be consumed between meals. Waiting 20 minutes between liquid intake and meal time.

—Chew Well

Digestion begins in the mouth. It is so important to chew our food well. Carbohydrates become significantly sweeter the more they are chewed. Many individuals under chew their food. Most foods need to be chewed 15-20 times. This is also a technique for those trying to lose weight. By chewing our food we are better able to savor and enjoy each flavor and texture. Often taking the time to chew increases length of meal time. Be sure to take time for your meals. Don’t eat on the run or in a rush. Allow yourself time to sit and breathe before beginning.

—Limit distractions

Each time you feed your body you have an opportunity to really tune in and listen to yourself. This begins by turning off the TV, setting the cell phone aside and avoiding upsetting conversations. Eating in silence promotes digestion because excess air is not take in, however, if you choose to engage in conversation be mindful of who you are talking with and what you discuss.

—Avoid Overeating

Only eat until 75% full. This allows digestion to have room to process the foods.

—Rest

After eating allow yourself to sit for 10 minutes. Use this time to reflect on the meal and the nourishment you provided your body. If you must move, consider taking a slow, mindful walk. Walking can gently stimulate the digestive system. It is also helpful if you have overeaten.

November 19, 2013May 4, 2017

Living Foods Workshop: Fermented Foods

Fermented Foods:

Our guts serve as our second brain. A healthy gut means a healthy mood.Most physical and mental disease begins in our digestive system. Learning how to promote a gut with healthy intestinal flora you will help you to achieve and maintain wellness.

Learn to ferment your own foods. In this workshop we will cover fermented vegetables, cultured coconut water and rejuvelac. Materials included. This is the second workshop of a series of Living Foods Workshops.

The class will run January 8, 2014

Cost: $40.00

Schedule online or call 970.472.0995 to register. We will be taking 8 students.

July 15, 2012December 11, 2015

Magnesium and Type 2 Diabetes

Magnesium intake is one of the most important factors for diabetes prevention and management and is an essential mineral required by the body for maintaining normal muscle and nerve function, keeping a healthy immune system, and building strong bones. Deficiencies can lead to muscle spasms, heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, anxiety, migraines, and osteoporosis.

Here’s a list of magnesium rich foods: Bran (rice, wheat, and oat), seeds (squash, pumpkin, and watermelon), cacao (dark chocolate), sesame seeds, flax seeds, brazil nuts, sunflower seeds, almonds, pine nuts, and molasses.

cocoa

Dark Chocolate is High in Magnesium

June 21, 2012May 4, 2017

What is Medical Ozone?

“Ozone is simply an energized form of oxygen. It is created when electric or ultraviolet energy causes oxygen atoms to temporarily recombine in groups of three. The result is an unstable, highly reactive molecule that is quick to oxidize with other substances, such as bacteria or viruses.3

Ozone was first used commercially to purify water in Europe over one hundred years ago. It is still being used today in over two thousand cities around the world, including Paris, Montreal, Moscow and Los Angeles.4 Oxygen and Ozone are bubbled through the water, killing bacteria and viruses, reducing odor and taste, and leaving the water purified and safe to drink. This process is analagous to treatment of human blood.

Ozone is typically used in medical treatment through one of two ways. The first is through rectal insufflation, in which the ozone is absorbed into the body through the major arteries in the colon. The second is through autohemotherapy. In this treatment, blood is drawn from the patient and has ozone bubbled through it. Within a few minutes the blood is returned to the patient. In both treatments, ozone is pulled directly into the blood and spreads quickly throughout the entire body.”

Read more by clicking on the word Ozone above.

June 1, 2012December 11, 2015

Antioxidants: give your body a boost

Natural antioxidants are molecules that prevent damage against free radicals in the body. Free radicals cause damage to our immune cells when produced in excessive quantities during the inflammatory process (part of the immune response). It is necessary for our bodies to eliminate them to avoid this damage and help our bodies in the fight against infections caused by bacteria,viruses, and parasites. We can help our body in the fight against excessive damage from free radicals by eating certain antioxidant rich foods. Examples of these foods are; blueberries, cranberries, blackberries, strawberries, beans, artichoke hearts, and spinach. There are many others. Including a mixture of these fruits and vegetables in your diet, along with others, can help improve overall health and defense against free radicals in the body.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21506934

Colonoscopy… Alternative Screening Options

Category: Solutions

Colonoscopy… Alternative Screening Options

Avoiding a Colonoscopy?

Concerns about the procedure

Alternatives to colonoscopy

Massage for Digestive Disorders

Juice Cleansing

Deep Tissue Massage Helps Relieve Muscle Soreness

Healthy Holiday Eating Guidelines

Living Foods Workshop: Fermented Foods

Magnesium and Type 2 Diabetes

What is Medical Ozone?

Antioxidants: give your body a boost

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