The Midweek Sun

LOOK AFTER YOUR GUT TO BOOST YOUR IMMUNE SYSTEM

Diarrhea, constipati­on, excessive bloating, etc. are signs of gut health problems

- BY SUN REPORTER

The digestive system is one of the most critical systems in the human body. If it is unable to properly digest the food and help the body absorb nutrients, it becomes very difficult to achieve good health. Improper digestion affects not only the gut, but also the hormonal, immune, and nervous systems. It is possible that your diet is perfectly balanced, but if the gut is not functionin­g properly, then it will affect your body’s nutrient absorption, and consequent­ly, its energy production.

“If the small intestine does not absorb the nutrients, the liver cannot process them and turn them into useful energy for the body. Hippocrate­s, who is often regarded as father of western medicine, is believed to have said that ‘all disease begins in the gut’. A major portion of the body’s immune system resides in the gut, which is also known as the second brain of the body. It keeps track of the allergens and microbes that get into your system.

If the digestive system is unhealthy, it makes you susceptibl­e to immune dysfunctio­n,” says Naturopath, Dr Tebogo Bagopi-Van Nieuwenhui­zen. Adding, “A number of non-communicab­le diseases have been shown to be controlled by the gut microbiome. These conditions include obesity, diabetes, ulcerative colitis, fatty liver, allergic disorders”.

She further says that medicines designed to moderate the acid levels in the stomach to treat gastrointe­stinal conditions often end up making it worse by limiting the absorption of key nutrients like magnesium and calcium. “If the digestive enzymes don’t do their job, the food eaten does not get broken down properly. The indigestio­n can lead to flatulence, bloating and fecal impaction,” she said.

Gut health is often disturbed by unhealthy eating and living habits, which also include mental stress. To help keep your digestive system healthy, Dr Bagopi-Van Nieuwenhui­zen suggests a few naturopath­ic tips;

* Cut back on sweets as well as fried and fatty foods. Fatty foods are one of the main reasons of bloating. Fat slows down the process of emptying the stomach, which may result in increasing your sensation of fullness.

* Do not overeat, and make sure to include plenty of fiber rich vegetables, sprouts and fruits in your diet.

* Chew your food thoroughly when you eat. Do not gulp down either food or liquids. * Avoid stimulants like alcohol, caffeine, sugars, carbonated drinks and white flour.

THE MIDWEEK SUN * Herbal teas are good for boosting digestive health. Chamomile, ginger, peppermint, green tea, dandelion root and lemon tea have been shown to aid in healthy digestion.

* Drink two glasses of water when you wake up, followed by a cup of green tea with lemon juice. It will aid in good bowel movement, and help avoid constipati­on.

* Avoid consumptio­n of tobacco in any form as it is responsibl­e for some of the most common digestive disorders, like peptic ulcers, gastroesop­hageal reflux disease.

* Smoking also affects the liver’s ability to process alcohol, medication­s, and other toxins, causing them to accumulate within your body. * Make sure you exercise a lot daily. Take a brisk walk or practice yoga for at least 45 minutes daily.

TPLEA TO LEADERSHIP AT ALL LEVELS – UNLOCK THE SECRET OF BREATH.

Are you a Leader in your home, business organizati­on, government, edpurcaayt­eiorn. aWleestpar­baliyshemd efnotrs,thspeircit­uurael organizati­on or iwnsetitpu­rtiaoynend­otfcoorveo­reudrhleer­aed, that you may

Take a chance with the secret in the breath and make it part of your safety package that ensures wellbeing. Note the word ipt’srbaryoead, health, emotional hWeailtthh, pthhysiisc­alnhexalth,pshpiarist­uealohfeao­lthp, all-round. One of the google definition­s is: “wellbeing is a state of being comfortabl­e, healthy or happy”. That’s why in Art of Living we have a program called Happiness Course…. it is tocporonmt­ionteutehe­twoebllbee­itnoggoef

Bagaetsho, wewarheeat­llhaewrare­pohfythsei­ccahlallye­nogers tvhiarttau­really. hitting us so hard on all fronts. We’re getting to a stage where one way or the other we are affected by covid-19, whether it’s yourself, family members, friends, colleagues, brethren in ouarnrdeli­pgiaotuise­nsectetint­ogs,waalll-kroautndt.hTehpeace Leadership is chasleletn­bgeydonuow­r mleoarde to fihrestlpl­ootkhem after themselves,ttohehneel­npsuures.that the covid-19 protocols are followed by all, that they move very fast when there’s a positive case.

For those in business there’s an added challenge of having to decide if the organizati­on should continue to operate or not, to decide whether to lay off some workers. At a family level, a bread winner who has just lost their job may be faced with a challenge of how they’re going to support the family, etc. This invariably puts a lot of pressure.

When you unlock this secret of breath by doing the breathing exercises, you lessen the burden and ease the pressure, even though the problem may not have gone away. You are able to sleep, you are able to make sound decisions not out of panic or anxiety, you are able to keep calm even though the covid-19 storm remains.

When a person gets weighed down by fear, anxiety, worry, uncerta inty, the and vulnerable. tahtatthe step of embracing the most natural tool you can ever think of…..BREATH. There are no side effects and the benefits are phenomenal.

Join the Harpepilna­etsisncgou­trosetaht Faenbd, repgrisate­crtice on tiny.cc/HPFoEfBs25­p. opsenyctoh­tohleogy natural gift of breath, and learn the impactful breathing techniques that empower us all-round.

More next week…

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