August 2008
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Archive for August 2008

Constipation Woes

August 29, 2008 by jacquie.

I was thinking of naming this article Why Fiber? but I thought I’d catch your attention more quickly with a problem you may experience when you don’t have enough fiber in your diet. Constipation is one result of inadequate fiber that plagues many people. Did you know that it’s normal to have two or three bowel movements every day? Yes, that’s a day, not a week, not a month—three a day!

Some people don’t come close to even one-a-day. Generally, that’s because they don’t get enough fiber and don’t drink enough water to keep everything working smoothly. Did you ever notice puppies and babies poop almost as often as they eat? That’s because they have no restraints. It’s just when we house break or potty train them that the one-in/one-out rule gets messed up.

Fiber is that part of plants that isn’t digested in the stomach and which attracts water, toxins, and fat in the intestine, promoting a more efficient elimination process. Adults should ingest 25 grams of fiber every day. It’s difficult to get that much fiber in your diet if you aren’t eating enough fresh fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Without enough fiber, your feces get dried out and hard and you experience infrequent and difficult bowel movements that can ultimately cause hemorrhoids and anal fissures.

There are many fiber products on the market, but my favorite way to add fiber naturally is to add ground flax seeds to your diet. Not only does a daily serving of flax eliminate constipation, it also supplies the body with much needed omega-3 fatty acids – a vital nutrient that our bodies can’t make on their own.

Adding Flax to your Daily Routine

Buy organic flax seeds. Get the tastier golden ones if you can, but the brown ones work just as well. I buy a pound or two at a time from the bulk food section of my market.
Store a small amount of seed in a jar away from heat or sunlight. Keep the remainder of the flax seeds double-bagged in the freezer.
Use a flax-designated coffee or seed grinder to grind the seeds.
Start with a teaspoon of seeds on the first day and gradually increase to 4 tablespoons (1/4 cup). This reduces the potential for flatulence.
Grind the desired amount of seeds daily and add them to a full glass of water.
Drink that water soon or the seeds will get slimy and a bit disgusting.
Drink another glass of water in the next half hour so that you provide your intestinal system with the two key ingredients it needs for efficient processing of your food.

In addition, the company I consult for has a fabulous fiber product that is an important aspect of their fat-burning and nutritional cleansing program. Call me for more information:

Jacquie Hale
Natural Health Coach
510-548-2585
vibrancecoach@jacquiehale.com

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Intending to Have Good Health

August 28, 2008 by jacquie.

What is your wildest dream about your health? That can be a startling question because most of us feel we have little or no control over our health. We think we are bound by a genetic link with our parents and doomed to die of or live with whatever diseases and health problems our ancestors had. And if we have some health problems, we think our doctors and the pharmaceutical industry control our destiny. That’s absolutely wrong. You are your health’s best friend (and worst enemy!)

I have been involved with health all of my life. I worked in hospital labs in my early adulthood and later expanded my knowledge into the field of natural healing because I know that people have control over what happens to their bodies. You control what happens in your body; you just may not know you are in command.

Much of our bodies’ health originates in our minds. During our daily life, we set all kinds of goals such as getting to work on time, buying a new car, or having a wonderful vacation. The first step to reaching a goal is to intend to reach it. It’s the same for health, but most of us don’t go quite that far. We might make a resolution to exercise three times a week or stop smoking, but we rarely intend to have good health. Start with the big picture and then break it down to small steps.

An intention for health is the first step to being healthy. This was particularly important to me because heart disease caused many early deaths on my father’s side of the family and diabetes played havoc on my mother’s side. I was determined to have a different health picture, and I have! I’ve outlived my mother by nearly 10 years and am far healthier than my father when he was my age.

What’s my secret? Intention. I didn’t even know how to attain good health, I just intended it. You must intend to have what you want. Many years ago, I intended to be healthier than my parents and their parents. As a result, my medical history is boring: no allergies, no illnesses, no hospitalization other than child-birth, no prescription drugs, no antibiotics. I don’t give a doctor much to latch onto – except my weight.

Oh dear, weight has been my nemesis for 30 years. Since moving to California in my mid-thirties, I’ve steadily gained weight until it tipped the scale at 200 pounds last winter. That was a turning point. At that time, I not only intended to be healthy, I extrapolated that to an intention to lose weight. And I’ve done it, or I am doing it. I’ve lost 40 pounds and have 20 to go! Hallelujah! Success is a wonderful motivator.

The first step is to intend to be healthy. You can do it. If you need help with the second step of creating a plan to become or stay healthy, you can contact me and we’ll figure it out. Call me.