FIBRE - TO SUMMARISE!

• Aim to have a some fibre with every meal.
• Remember fibre soaks up water, this is how it is 'bulked' up in the colon / large bowel - triggering peristalis and enabling a smooth and comfortable elimination.
• So as you increase your fibre intake increase your water intake aswell.
• If your not used to eating a lot of fibre ie.vegetables and fruits, wholemeal produce, porridge oats, legumes etc, then increase fibre slowly - let your bowel muscle build up the strength gradually.
• A diet rich in fibre can prevent constipation, haemorrhoids, rectal prolapses, diverticular disease, and can help prevent certain cancers (mouth, stomach and bowel).
• A healthy high-fibre, low-fat diet reduces the likelihood of weight-gain and lessens the risk of developing many diseases associated with getting older.
• High fibre diets increase the number of vital 'friendly' bacteria that inhabit our bowel. (recent research is now highlighting the wonderful effects pro-biotics have on our systems as a whole - I will elaborate on this massive and exciting subject soon, but for now everybody should consider taking a pro-biotic supplement such as acidophillis.)

How can I get more fibre?

Fruit, vegetables, nuts, seeds and pulses are all good sources of fibre. But with cereal-based foods such as breakfast cereals, pasta, rice and bread, the amount of fibre depends on how much of the outer layer of the grain has been stripped away in the milling and refining process. The more processing a cereal has been through, the lower its fibre content will be so this means white bread, rice, pasta and cereals has much less fibre content. It’s not just fibre that’s lost during this processing other vitamins and minerals which are also found in the outer layers of the grain are also stripped out. As a golden rule, always choose brown over white. When it comes to shopping, this means bagels, croissants, cornflakes and white rice should stay safely on the supermarket shelf, while wholegrain bread, wholewheat pasta, branflakes and brown rice can go happily into the trolley.

Tips:-

• If you can follow this rule most of the time and then you have the occasional treats of white bread or pasta. (With children you should aim that they get about two thirds wholegrain produce and a third white products - I will explain this a little more later on.) I'm sure as time goes on though when you have white bread or pasta as a treat you will feel that sluggish and stodgy that you will actually prefer wholemeal produce!
• Another good tip is that if you are making a meal which contains pasta or rice you can have half and half just mix it up for a while, so your body and bowel can get used to the changes in your diet gradually.

The following foods are all good sources of fibre…

• Wholemeal, granary and softgrain varieties of bread
• Jacket potatoes, new potatoes in their skins and baked potato skins - remember cooked and cooled potatoes are particulary good for you.
• Wholegrain breakfast cereals, such as porridge oats (this should always be your first choice) weetabix, unsweetened muesli, shreddies.
• Wholemeal pasta and brown rice.
• Beans (any type), lentils and peas, sweetcorn - remember to chew thoroughly!
• Fresh and dried fruits – particularly if the skins are eaten - again chew carefully!
• Vegetables – particularly if the skins are eaten - do i need to say?!
• Nuts and seeds - grind them up, keep in an airtight container and sprinke on salads or cereals whenever you like.
• Wholemeal flour.
  

THE POWER OF ROUGHAGE!!

Fibre sometimes known as 'roughage,' aids and speeds up the excretion of waste and toxins from the body, therefore preventing them from hanging around too long in the bowel, which would cause a build-up (constipation). Constipation can lead to several other bowel diseases such as diverticular disease and cancer of the bowel. Diverticular disease is common in people over 40 in the developed world namely the UK, USA, Canada and Australia.

What I find very interesting is that in third world countries diverticular disease is very rare - where people are very active and eat a lot of unprocessed foods such as brown rice. Diverticular disease is small pouches that 'bulge' out of weakened areas of the mucosa and sub-mucosal layers of the colon wall, this is thought to be caused by increased pressure in the colon when we strain excessively , which usually occurs when a person is chronically constipated. Also if the bowel wall/muscle is weakened through a poor diet low in fibre you are more susceptible to diverticulitis, constipation and other bowel problems. If one or more of these pouches become inflamed or infected (diverticulitis) this can be extremely painful, can warrant hospital admission and treatment with intravenous antibiotics, and can, in some cases proove fatal.

FIBRE CAN REDUCE BOWEL DISEASE - ITS NOT ROCKET SCIENCE!!

We all know the benefits fibre has on keeping our digestive systems healthy, but not everyone knows that how much more a high-fibre diet has to offer. A diet rich in fibre helps control cholesterol levels, blood sugar levels and weight fluctuations. A fibre rich diet also reduces your risk of developing heart disease, type 2 diabetes and certain cancers and bowel diseases.

So why in the western world do we still have a problem with a high-fibre diet? High-fat and heavily processed foods still form the main part of many thousands of peoples diets in this country. In fact as I have stated earlier some so called 'diet plans' even advocate such ready meals and convenience foods. No wonder obesity is steadily increasing and people are turning to more radical solutions to weight loss such as gastric bands and slimming pills.

High fibre diets are powerful, coupled with excercise and increased water, it is simply the best way to lose weight - unbeatable!

Recent studies have shown that a high intake of fibre can not only reduce the risk of cancer but also help to prevent constipation, haemorrhoids, diverticular disease and fissures. These can often be signs of an unhealthy bowel and can pre-dispose you to further problems in the future.

Look out for more information on what fibre is and the different types and how to get it in the right amounts xxxx

I LOVE EASTER!!!

Hi everybody,

Seems ages since i wrote anything on here!! Well it has been easter and i've had a lot to do you know like baking cakes, eating chocolate (and i'm afraid to say it hasn't all been of the dark, bitter, organic variety -please have mercy on my soul!), going out for family meals, catching up with friends etc etc.

It seems to be a very busy time in the world of colonics aswell. A lot of people have been detoxing for lent and are now having colonics like there's no tomorrow. So it is very busy at the health clinic at the moment. I am so happy about the positive emails and texts I have received from satisfied customers lately - thank you all very, very much.

Hope my weight loss tips have been useful, I have many, many more to come!!!!

So I hope you all had a lovely holiday and got chance to do what makes you feel happy. By the way if you have indulged (like me) in a tad too much chocolate over the past week or so, the Shiatsu Practitioner at the Sanctuary has assured me that 'chocolate keeps you grounded.' So I'm taking this on board whole-heartedly and feel immediately re-assured!!!

I am having a full-body shiatsu massage next week and a colonic at some point. So hopefully I will feel invigorated and completely refreshed - I'l shall let you all know how it goes.
Take care xxx

MORE WEIGHT LOSS TIPS..........

11. Eat for what you are about to do, not for what you have done!



12. Beans and pulses (baked beans/sweetcorn/lentils/peas etc) all have high fibre contents and are a very valuable part of your diet - especially if you have cut down your intake of red meats. If you are not used to eating them introduce them into your diet carefully and slowly to avoid excess gas. Soak you beans overnight and discard soak water before cooking.



13. You will have heard this before! But do try as much as you can to buy locally and in season. This will ensure you get nutrient-rich fresh food and are also contributing to the survival of farming in Britain. Try to imagine the life your fruit/veg/meat had before it arrived on the supermarket shelf. If its been shipped half way accross the world in some plastic container and sprayed and re-sprayed, then sat on the shelf for a few days, by the time you get it home and into your stomach the nutrients will be fairly reduced to say the least!! I know with things like bananas this is impossible but at least think about the person who picked them and buy fairtrade where you can afford. The more you consciously start to think about where your food comes from and not just randomly shoving things into your body, the more weight you will lose. As your awareness starts to increase!

WEIGHT LOSS TIPS CONTINUED

8. Cut out all fizzy drinks and energy drinks and all low-fat products containing artifical sugars - ASAP! What can I say? Most of these products are high-glycaemic, leach your body of much needed B vitamins, create gas and bloatedness in the digestive system and they are addictive. Need I go on? We do not know what the full effects of artificial sugars are yet as studies are still inconclusive, but Aspartame has been linked to cancer and has been banned in certain states of America -so thats enough for me! Check the labels on all your low-fat yogurts and no added sugar diet drinks and fruit juices - they could be doing you more harm than good.

Please note if you have been drinking fizzy / energy drinks for a long time cut down slowly as you may experience headaches as your body detoxifies itself. The same applies to coffee and tea - also try to limit your intake of these and replace with herbal teas or room temperature water, but do it slowly. You may feel malaise or headahcy for a couple of days but after this you will feel 100 times better than before.

9. Have lots of fibrous filling salads and green vegetables on an evening, even if you do have to have them between two slices of wholemeal bread -this is a start. The salads and green vegetables are very satisfying and the fibre will gently work overnight mopping, up insoluble fats, gaining momentum and hopefully forming a nice poo for the morning! Keep your fridge stocked up with chopped ready to eat salads and veg with houmous and guacamole to snack on any time.

10. Cut down as much as you can on dairy products. Dairy products are pasteurised and are very difficult for the body to break down and digest. They are mucous and acid-forming, so people with inflammatory problems such as asthma, excema, sinus problems etc should really steer well clear. From my experience as a nurse and colonic hydrotherapist people find it very difficult to lose weight while consuming lots of dairy.

11. Try not to look at the piles of cadbury's creme eggs next to every checkout!!! Mmmmmm!

Coming soon easy meal planner for the month with guaranteed results. More weight loss tips continued next time.

Remember spring is time to give your body an MOT so book in for a colonic and get yourself in shape for the summer. XX

WEIGHT LOSS & BETTER ELIMINATION TIPS CONTINUED.......

3 Things most likely to affect a persons chances of developing bowel cancer - DIET - LIFESTYLE - FAMILY HISTORY. So we may not be able to do anything about the family history bit, but if bowel cancer does run in your family you can certainly improve the risk it poses to yourself by following a healthy living and eating plan.

4. If you can cut out red meat! This has been linked to bowel cancer. If you cannot cut out red meat simply cut down and make sure you chew it thoroughly. Our bodies simply cannot digest red meat it just ferments and rots in the bowel. Pulses, dark green vegetables, tofu, nuts etc can provide the vitamins and minerals to compensate for the red meat.

5. Chew - chew- chew - till the food is almost liquified in your mouth. This way you will get more nutrients out of your food and your stomach and bowel won't be so overwhelmed and have a hard job of breaking down all the undigested foods. You will also feel full before you get the chance to overeat!

6. ENJOY YOUR FOOD - Smell the food being cooked (if possible) and look forward to it. This will get your saliva flowing and at the same time vital enzymes in your stomach will be flowing, ready to accept the food in order to break it down and it will digest properly. When we are stressed and not really thinking about the food we are eating problems such as excess gas and tummy cramps can occur.

7. So you are much better to eat a small piece of cake and really enjoy it, than eat half the cake and feel ashamed and guilty about it.

xxxxx

WEIGHT LOSS TIPS THAT WILL ALSO IMPROVE ELIMINATION!

Forget obsessing about calorie counting and hopping ridiculously from 'red days' to 'green days' - absurd! I know a few people who have been on these sorts of ' fad diets' for years and years. So please do they really work? I have trouble in understanding why processed foods, highly laden in chemical and artificial sugars are advocated on these diets and how they have been able to get away with it for so long!!

I get tired of hearing comments such as 'this food is free so i can eat as much as I like!!' (low-fat and 'light' yogurts which contain aspartame - don't worry about this, it has only been linked to cancer and banned in certain states of America -but eat as many as you possibly can won't you?!) or 'Ooo I'm getting weighed tonight so better not eat as much today.' I mean really do they really think this is a safe and effective way to lose weight. What these companies have done is homed in on the vulnerability of these people and hijacked them into thinking that these diets work - I can tell you here and now these diets don't work. Having a healthy relationship with food and being happy is far more important. I have put together some easy and safe weight loss tips to get you started - just ease into them gradually taking one step at a time and set yourself realistic goals.

1. Don't eat sweet puddings or fruit after you have eaten a cooked meal. The simple sugars in the fruit will break down much faster then the other denser, cooked food, this will cause a back up and putrefication in your bowel - which can cause excessive gas and bloatedness, slowing everything down. So have fruit before a meal and have a starter as opposed to a pudding.

2. Lemons, lemons, lemons!! Have them in water, squeezed onto salads, dressings etc. Lemon regenerates and supports the liver, the liver is the body's 'filter,' it also produces bile which breaks down the fat in the food that we eat. Lemon thins the bile, detoxifies us and rebuilds liver tissue. Lemons promote optimal fat-burning.

3. Think about what foods you are combining. Proteins (meats, dairy etc.) don't combine very well with starches (bread, pasta etc). It is really hard work for your body to break these down when all eaten at once - that's why you feel so tired after eating a badly combined meal / snack. So if you going to have fish, have it with a large salad or veggies.

This will seem like a huge step as probably all of your meals are based around combining proteins with starches! Just make slow gradual changes and when you start feeling better it will become easier. So, when your having pasta / rice /potatoes just have lots of veg or salad with it instead of proteins. The same applies when you are having proteins meat or pulses for example, combine with veg or salads. Do not combine all three within the same meal.

I never used to give food combining a second thought so I do try to be careful now. It is amazing how much more energy you will have , and you don't have to be all of the time - just try doing it most of the time, don't get stressed about it and don't feel guilty if you have a set back and raid the fridge one night, the cravings will subside as your body gets used to being able to work properly.

When foods are combined well, digestion is easier, minerals are absorbed better ultimately toxins and waste matter are eliminated quicker.

More tips next time xxxxx

PART 3 - THE STATISTICS - SORRY PEEPS

It was such a coincidence yesterday when I was frantically dashing around the house trying to get everything together for the day ahead, whilst also thinking about the Bowel Cancer facts and figures I was going to blog about, and then in the background the tv was on - (miraculously not cbeebies!) - Bowel Cancer was headline news stating how we all desparately need educating on this crucial matter - and so my crusade goes on, here are some of the facts. I will talk about risk factors and what we can do about it next time:-

• Bowel cancer is a disease of the large bowel (colon) or rectum. Sometimes called colo-rectal or colon cancer.
• It is the 2nd largest cause of cancer deaths in the UK.
• It is the 3rd most common cancer after breast and lung.
• 50 people die almost every day and 100 people are diagnosed with it.
• If caught in time 90% of bowel cancer can be treated totally successfully.
• 64% of the general public have never seen or heard and educational information about bowel cancer in the last 12 months. (beatingbowelcancer.org cancerresearchuk.org)

So, why don't people like talking about this type of cancer and why does it still appear to be a 'taboo' subject? I'm certainly not embarrassed or ashamed to discuss my toilet habits - so if anybody wants to chat about anything good or bad that they may see in the toilet - I'm all ears!! We've got to break down the barriers of this subject so that people will be more aware of the risks and not be afraid to seek attention sooner rather than later.

I do not like scaremongering and this is not what I am here to do. I will, over time, offer practical solutions and advice on how we can all improve the health of our bowels, bodies and minds. But are you ready to make the change?

• Don't be another statistic
• Take responsibility for your health - only YOU can do it
• Invest in your life today
• Do you want to be happy, healthy and full of positive energy?

Take it easy and we'l catch up tomorrow xxx (desparate housewives is on!!)

Part 2 - THE BENEFITS OF COLONIC HYDROTHERAPY / IRRIGATION WITHIN THE BODY

I discussed in my previous blog how colonics acutally benefits the bowel directly (ie. rehydration). Now I will briefly discuss how colonics / colonic hydrotherapy can benefit the body as a whole. Colon hydrotherapy is much more than a bodywork treatment, it is also an emotional release treatment.

1. HELP TO CONTROL WEIGHT PROBLEMS.

Often when people embark on a diet plan and a healthier lifestyle without a bowel cleanse (such as a colonic) they may not notice any obvious changes in their well-being or their bowel habits. There could be a few reasons for this, it can depend on the type of diet plan that you are on and if it is a credible one. One of the most obvious reasons is that the bowel may be still full of too much old faecal matter, therefore the bowels are not functioning effectively - the mucosa can't self-lubricate and the bowel muscles can't contract and relax properly (peristalsis).

Removing this old matter will enable the muscles to work better. As better, heavier and moister stools are created they give a better workout to the bowel muscle - much the same as during a colonic session will give to your bowels.

2. HELP TO RESTORE THE 'BRAIN-BOWEL' CONNECTION.

A properly exercised bowel muscle is more aware of the signals sent by nerve endings and delivers the stools through the rectum and anal canal for regular elimination. (Another key point to remember is our bowels like routine!) The communication between our bowel and our brain is something we are aware of - you know the feelings: If you have for example an exam coming up, a job interview, breaking up with someone - any decision that involves a risk we may have the feeling of 'butterflies in our stomach.' The expression 'gut feeling' or bad news may leave us physically doubled up, these are examples of this special connection -part of the 'fight or flight mechanism.' To cut to the chase without boring you all with the science- because we are so intrinsicly linked to our bowel 'listening to our body' makes so much sense. Some people block out the signals to go to the toilet maybe because it is bad timing (ie.on a train!!), not hydrated enough, not chewing, dirty toilets or shyness etc. This is how sometimes the 'IBS' cycle can begin. Your brain gets unhappy messages that you are bloated, irritated, constipated - serotonin levels overflow - this causes diarrhoea - this in turn causes serotonin levels to cease - this causes constipation.

Colonic irrigation / hydrotherapy / massage can help restore this connection by the gentle rinsing actions of the water which causes the bowels to evacuate, re-building this link - the body remembers again, the good, natural feeling, and these important neural pathways begin to re-establish.


3. SUPPORTS AND MASSAGES OTHER INTERNAL ORGANS.

Another important and often forgotten function of the bowel. Internal organs in the thoracic and abdominal cavities are supported and massaged by the bowels regular peristaltic actions. An oversized gut puts extra pressure on the organs rather than supporting them. I did touch on this point in earlier blog about the relief of back / chest pains etc.

4. HEALTH PROMOTION TOOL.

I believe that colonics are an important tool, in this modern world, in promoting health. By physically and emotionally releasing unwanted materials from the body it makes way for new and positive energy. Lots of creative people have colonics to maybe get past writers block or obtain fresh energy. Out with the old and in with the new!!!

Also by actully seeing the results of a bad diet or unhealthy lifestyle in the tube is enough to empower some people to take responsibility for their health, re-connect with their bodies and achieve health and happiness.

Oh I could go on and on!!! Colonics aren't everybody's cup of tea, just like everything in life, but if you've never tried them you will never know. Even if this blog can help to raise awareness on the importance of the eliminative functions within the body then that can't be a bad thing.

Coming up in Part Three - Important Facts You Need to Know.

The Benefits of Colonic Hydrotherapy / Irrigation and Bowel Massage

PART ONE - WHAT COLONICS AND BOWEL MASSAGE DO FOR THE COLON

1. CLEANSE THE COLON

Colonics rinse away impacted toxic, faecal excrement so it can no longer harm your body or hinder good eliminations. Your colon can then begin to work efficiently again like it was intended! A colonic is a rejuvenation treatment. Even if you have a healthy bowel it will improve it even further helping you to feel fantastic.

2. EXERCISES AND TONES THE COLON MUSCLE

Sometimes the build up of hardened faecal mucoid deposits can eventually weaken the bowel wall and impair its vital functions. The gentle rinsing effects of a colonic can improve the peristalsis (waves of muscle contractions) - therefore this will help you to eliminate waste better in the future, (in other terms helping you to have nicely formed, light-brown poos with little or no need to strain or wipe, preferably twice a day, each and every day - ahhh perfect!) Unlike laxatives colonics actually strengthen the colon and are not habit forming.

3. REHYDRATE THE COLON & INDIRECTLY THE WHOLE BODY

Water is re-absorbed into the body through the colon. Please note:- When you are dehydrated your body absorbs extra water from the poor colon and leaves it with small, hard and difficult to pass pebbles - ouch! Remember folks straining can lead to haemorrhoids and eventually a fissure could develop, fissures are tears in the anal canal which sometimes never actually heal properly and can be excruciatingly painful every time you go to the toilet. (More tips on how to keep your stools soft and healthy coming up in part 5)

4. STIMULATION OF REFLEX POINTS

Reflex points in our bowel are connected to different parts within our bodies. Several clients who have had problems losing weight or have reached a plateau, have commented on how colonics can unblock these issues and as they talk and clear their mind they can also release down below. Feelings of enhanced mental clarity and feeling lighter and brighter can be because of the unloading of toxins from our systems. I will discuss this in greater detail at a later stage but for this part I am focusing on the physical effects a colonic has on our colon.

5. RE-SHAPE THE COLON

If people have longstanding problems with their bowel ie. chronic constipation / diarrhoea or IBS, this can cause the bowel wall to weaken in places, stretch or go into spasm. The bowel wall can sometimes become so stretched and out of shape that it can actually put pressure on other organs. For example occasionally we all may experience the feeling of being out of breath after a big meal or when we have over-indulged, but if you find you are experiencing this feeling nearly every day you can be pretty sure you are carrying unwanted wastes in your bowel and are not digesting your food properly. Sometimes an overloaded bowel can cause back pain especially in the lower lumbar region.

Don't miss 'Part 2' I will discuss how colonics can benefit our bodies as a whole and also illustrate some comments I hear time and time again from clients. Future blogs will also include FREE diet plans and a guide on how to keep stools happy and healthy!!!

Please note this is not a substitute for medical advice, colonics work best when the client is relaxed and work well in conjunction with a healthy diet and regular exercise. Many people have a colonic to kick start a diet or detox plan.

Becci x

oooops!!

Hi there,
Yes its official I am following myself! Little mistake on my part!! Dont actually think I can undo it either - oh well!

I am about to embark on a Diet and Nutrition Diploma at Oxford College - so this will bring in lots of new and exciting things to discuss. Over the next few weeks I want to share lots of nutrition and well-being advice. First of all I will discuss the benefits of Colon Hydrotherapy / Irrigation and hopefully demystify the whole process.

Why colon hydrotherapy? Coming up in tomorrows blog..........

Speak to you soon take care xxx

Welcome!

Hi and welcome to my blog, I’m Becci Burlinson, registered general nurse and colon hydrotherapist. Recently married in Cyprus 2007, mum of one gorgeous little man who is 2 years old and step-mum also to an energetic and loving soon- to- be eight year old little lady. So pretty much have my hands full these days!!

The purpose of this blog is to enable me to share my knowledge with you about what I do and hopefully other health conscious people will also share their tips and advice with me.

I am passionate about what I do and am loving doing it at the moment! I know that probably sounds a bit weird but I truly find the digestive system fascinating and believe that the key to true health and happiness lies deep within us somewhere and by clearing out lots of unwanted materials and emotions this is easier to achieve.

It feels great to meet new and interesting people all the time and be able to help them in some way, whether that is helping them to go to the toilet more regularly (or less regularly as the case may be) or helping them figure out what food groups suit them or simply listening and helping them to unblock and release emotional blockages – please don’t thinks this all sounds airy fairy – I am a very practical person and the results I have seen literally (or rather not literally) blow me away every time! Ha!

How this all happened - I’m not really sure, I guess like many things one thing lead to another!! I have always been amazed by the digestive system and after witnessing people suffering with; bowel obstructions, diverticuli, ulcerative colitis or chronic constipation, ’IBS’ - I thought there must be another way other than just more, and more, and yes more medication and low and behold there is!!! But it wasn’t until I started practising colon hydrotherapy / irrigation that I realised what the true benefits of this treatment were, it is not a ‘cure all’ or a replacement for medical advice by any means but the gentle rinsing action of purified, filtered water being massaged around our colon helps to rehydrate, reshape and most importantly tone our large bowel muscle aiding better elimination of poisonous toxins and waste materials from our bodies, and with all the toxins and chemicals in the food we eat, the air we breathe and the things we put on our bodies these days this can-not be a bad thing!

The internet is awash with all the magnificent effects of colonics however these may not necessarily be felt by everyone. As much as I think colon hydrotherapy is a fantastic treatment, for me colon hydrotherapy is a very individual, holistic healing treatment, you take away from it what you put into it – (not literally although this would be rather amusing!!) Colonic hydrotherapy is by no means just a physical thing it is about connecting with our bodies and often a successful colonic means letting go of past emotions that you may have been bottling up for many years , indeed our solar plexus runs right through the transverse colon. Our minds are very closely linked with our bowel and their habits, hence the sayings ‘gut feeling’ or when we are nervous about something and we may have ‘butterflies in our tummy.’ So a good colon hydrotherapy session can be quite emotional for some people; as they release stagnant thoughts from their minds they can also release unwanted material down below, this can be a truly exhilarating experience. Afterwards some people can feel physically lighter but also mentally lighter and brighter. This may not happen to everybody though – it depends how much you really connect with yourself and the therapist and how much you fully relax. However you can be pretty sure though that after any colon hydrotherapy session with a competent therapist you will have definitely rehydrated your system, improved or banished bloatedness and cramps, should be able to eliminate toxins more efficiently and your stools should look healthier.

The effects of the treatment will last longer if a healthy diet and as much raw foods as possible are ingested, colonics make up 25% of being happy and healthy the rest is down to diet and exercise.