Could Gluten be The Problem?

The more I learn the more I am amazed as to how many illnesses can be linked to gluten sensitivity.  The connection to the brain is incredible.  Auto immune illnesses can often be linked to it yet the true cause goes undiagnosed.  Many people have negative blood tests, as I have had, and so gluten is ruled out as the culprit.  This is truly sad because there are lifelong repercussions.  I feel certain that my father was one of these people.  He always had a hugely distended belly and chronic headaches.  He loved his carbs.  In his early 60's he was diagnosed with Alzheimers.  It is beyond explanation to relate the agony of watching a loved one deteriorate in such a manner.  I remember once when I was young how he played chess with 6 men in a row at the same time.  He was blindfolded, they were not, yet he beat them all.  He had a photographic memory but with this horrible disease he could no longer communicate.  His face showed his frustration as he tried so hard to talk to us but we had no idea what he was saying.  Eventually he didn't even know who we were and he died at just 73 years of age.

Education is our best tool against gluten sensitivity.  So I urge you to take the time to watch this important free seminar.  It could save your life or that of someone you love.

https://gg110.infusionsoft.com/go/tgs/Gailla/

Want Great Skin? .... Must Poop!

Okay, so this is not the idea you may have been looking for but it is essential for beautiful glowing skin.  The skin is the largest elimination organ of the body.  The elimination organ that does the greatest job though is, yes you guessed it, the colon.  Often it is the one given least consideration until it gives us a cry for help.  But a lot can be wrong before you get that cry for help, and usually the cry is ignored until the discomfort happens constantly and becomes debilitating.

The colon needs to be properly balanced with about 80% friendly bacteria versus 20% unfriendly bacteria.  This is accomplished with pooping everyday sufficiently and based on the many insults to our bodies, taking quality refrigerated probiotics.  Laxatives make the colon weaker and more dependent.  The colon is a muscle and just as we must walk to keep our leg muscles strong, we must also give our colon a work out to keep it strong.  We do that through our mouth by eating foods with plenty of fiber.  Yes, you must eat your vegetables as well as fruit and whole grains.  Water is also important to help poop move through the colon, besides it is essential for the skin's elimination process as well.  In addition you may want to give serious consideration to what many actors/actresses do to make sure their skin looks radiant.  One in particular is Kim Basinger.  Colonics are her regiment for beautiful skin. You might cringe at the thought but your skin will love you for it.  I have been caring for people for 24 years as a colon therapist and have seen beautiful skin emerge where once lie dull skin or even acne, hives and rashes before it.  To see a confident personality come from a formerly shy individual that avoided eye contact is a beautiful thing. 

In my experience of caring for thousands of people, the skin is a barometer of what lies inside the body.  If the skin is sick, the body is toxic.  Since the skin is the largest elimination organ it tends to pick up the slack when the body has an abundance of garbage lying around.  You don't need to be constipated for this to be the case.  Antibiotics, steroidal drugs, and a poor diet can alter the delicate balance of friendly and unfriendly bacteria in the colon inhibiting it's ability to eliminate well and thereby causing a back-up of toxins in your body.  

So lesson learned, healthy colon = beautiful skin!

Stevia, Agave, Honey or Splenda, Which Will You Choose?

As a certified colon therapist it is imperative that I educate my clients on what they put in their mouth for it all ends up in the colon.  Certain sweeteners can be quite harmful whereas a few can actually be beneficial.  Sugar feeds bad bacteria and yeast forms including fungus most commonly known as candida.  Candida is a normal resident in the colon in small quantities but it has a tendency to grow out of control if given the right climate.  Antibiotics and steroidal drugs will contribute to a lessening of beneficial bacteria allowing candida to get the upper hand.  Many people will have sweet cravings while on antibiotics or right after a course of antibiotics because the candida wants to be fed and it loves sugar. The more sugar the person eats, the more the candida grows which in turn can cause a host of health problems. Interestingly, stevia which is also found in Truvia, can help deter candida.  Its source is from a plant, ( I have grown it in my garden).  It looks much like a tall mint plant.  It is calorie free as is basil or thyme or any plant we like to use in our food.  There is no down side actually, in fact it is also safe for diabetics since it doesn't raise glucose levels.  

Agave is an interesting middle ground sweetener.  I have a recipe that Wholesome Sweeteners has on their website using raw agave.  
http://www.wholesomesweeteners.com/recipeitem/SEARCH_BY_WORD/healthy_chocolate_shake/968.html
If a person is battling candidiasis, agave is not for them because it can feed the candida as sugar does.  The benefit of agave over sugar is that it has a low glycemic index which means that in moderation it can be used by diabetics.  

Raw honey can feed candida if it is already a problem and it does not have a low glycemic index BUT it is great for allergies if purchased from a beekeeper in the sufferer's area.  I know this firsthand because my husband is a beekeeper. My clients with allergies have purchased it and swear by its benefits.  As for the outside of the body, it is a great antiseptic and can be used on wounds for healing.  Buyer beware though of funny honey!  Yes, you read right.  Only about 5 states in the US prevent stores and even the small street vendor from selling funny honey.  If you ever wondered why honey doesn't taste like it did when you were a kid well its because it's not real honey.  There is usually some honey in it but it is mostly made up of corn syrup, chemicals and preservatives.  When you taste the real thing again it will bring you back to those childhood days.  Real raw honey is delightful to the palate and varies greatly depending on where the beehives are placed.  My husband placed his amongst our 2 plus acres of perennial gardens.  Our bees have a flower feast.  It is fascinating to taste the four harvests in a year.  The color varies from very light yellow to amber depending on the flowers that were in bloom when the bees gathered the pollen.  As you taste it you can detect peonies, daffodils, rhododendron, irises, lilies, delphinium and many other flavors from mild to bold.  To taste such honey is like tasting fine wine.  A neat fact about real honey is that it is the only food that never spoils!

Artificial sweeteners such as Splenda do not raise blood sugar but the operative word here is artificial.  Should we be putting artificial anything in our bodies?  I have stressed this to those of my clients addicted to diet soft drinks.  After eliminating them from their diet they noticed headaches go away and energy improve.  As close to nature is always a better rule to live by.

Seniors Beware, Your Diet is Important

I have enjoyed helping people from age 5 to 95.  Seniors have many unique challenges.  My prospective for their diet has proven very helpful in improving their quality of life.  Talk to any senior about their discomforts and the subject of their unfortunate bowel habits will come up.  The colon is a muscle and as with other muscles in the body, when we get older they are not as strong.  Added to this is the lessening of mobility.  So it is vital for their diet to have plenty of natural fiber.  This will also help lesson diverticulosis which is so common with seniors and can become fatal.  Diverticulosis occurs when the muscle wall thins out from lack of fiber and the resultant sluggish colon allows for old stool to accumulate.  This in turn produces gas.  This gas puts pressure on the thinned out muscle wall and causes pockets to form.  When food gets into these pockets and gets infected the result is diverticulitis which can be deadly. 

Fiber can be enjoyable.  Fresh fruit, real (not canned) vegetables and whole grains are a must.  Besides being tasteless, canned vegetables have lost most of their vital nutrients including fiber.  No more white bread, white pasta or processed foods!  These are cheap foods but in the long run cost more dollars because of the expense of medications to counter-act the side affects caused by them.  These foods turn into a gooey sticky mess in the colon making them difficult to eliminate.  They also raise blood sugar whereas whole grains as a complex carbohydrate breakdown slower not usually causing a rise in blood sugar levels.  

We all love cheese.  Yet cheese is a slow processor in the colon and can cause constipation.  This is also true of red meat, i.e. beef, pork and lamb.  These should be eaten in moderation.

It is wise to incorporate Greek yogurt into the diet.  Besides being a good source of calcium and protein, yogurt has beneficial bacteria which is necessary for the colon to function properly.  In a healthy person the colon's wall has about 80% friendly bacteria versus 20% unfriendly.  This friendly bacteria is decreased with antibiotics and steroidal drugs, both commonly used by seniors.  Yet, if their diet is supplemented with beneficial bacteria their immune system will be better able to protect them from future infections.  This is how our bodies naturally defend itself from unwanted invaders such as viruses and infections. 

And let's not forget water, water, water!  Coffee is the mainstream in today's society yet it dehydrates the body including the colon causing harder, thus difficult to move stools.  Additionally, the caffeine in coffee is a stimulant just as ExLax is, thus causing the colon to become lazier and lazier as it becomes dependent on a stimulant to function.  So coffee should be consumed in moderation.  Juices, if the senior is not a diabetic, are also a good way to increase fluids. 

So eat to better health, not that you haven't heard that before.  The sooner these helpful hints are applied the faster the senior or anyone for that matter will feel relief. 

The New Prozac....Probiotics?

A new study done by researchers at UCLA revealed that the microbes in probiotics have shown mind-altering effects in helping individuals with anxiety and depression.  Here is an article about the study. 

http://health.yahoo.net/experts/dayinhealth/are-probiotics-new-prozac

Is there anything that probiotics cannot do?  The list for probiotics’ benefits gets longer and longer.  Why should this surprise us when we are composed of trillions of these little guys?  

Dr. Michael Gershon coined the term, ‘the second brain’ in 1996 and published a book with the same name.  He says, “95 percent of the body's serotonin is housed in the gut, where it acts as a neurotransmitter and a signaling mechanism.” You can find more information about his research in the new field of neurogastroenterology at:

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/08/23/health/23gut.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0  

People often take prescription selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI’s) for depression.  The drug’s purpose is to increase levels of serotonin in the body.  Since 95% of the serotonin in our bodies is found in the gut, it’s not a stretch to understand why improving the health of the gut with beneficial bacteria will also help our mood and anxiety.  In a healthy gut 80% of the lining is made of beneficial bacteria. The value of taking daily probiotics is underscored for not only intestinal health and immune health but also for happiness health.  Now that’s something we can cheer about!

Please visit my site about Quintestinal Probiotics. One of it’s five strains of active microbes includes ProDURA™ Bacillus Coagulans.  ProDURA™ is a spore forming bacterium with a protective coating that stays dormant until it meets the perfect conditions of heat, pH, and moisture found in the large intestine. Unlike many cultures, it can survive extreme processing, shipping, storage as well as the natural challenges of the digestive tract.

http://www.alohacolonics.com/quintestinal-probiotics.html

A Child Renewed

The gift of being able to change a person’s life through one’s abilities is truly the most rewarding.  I feel very privileged to have the career that I do.  One of the most remarkable individuals that I have been able to help is Mostyn.  He was 7 years old when he first came to me.  Mostyn had been seeing a Pediatric Urologist as well as a Pediatrician.  He suffered from bladder spasms causing him to have great difficulty holding his urine.  Tests showed that he wasn’t able to empty his bladder completely.  School was a challenge for Mostyn for fear of embarrassment.  He also suffered from chronic constipation.  Any stools he had were the size of a pea.  X-rays showed that he was impacted throughout the colon pushing under the ribs.  The constipation caused Mostyn chronic cramping.  He was on Miralax for the constipation with no benefit as well as two prescriptions for the bladder urgency with little improvement as well.  Add to all of this he had no energy.  After school he was very tired and would just plop on the couch.  By 6:30 he was asleep yet he would wake up still tired.  His parents were greatly frustrated.   

A friend of Mostyn’s grandfather was a client of mine and suggested seeing me.  Although the trip was nearly 2 hours his mother was quick to bring him to me in hopes of getting some relief.  The first colonic was successful in eliminating quite a large amount of hard stools and loads of gas.  Relief from suffering was already in the making!  Six days later I saw Mostyn for his second colonic.  His mother reported that he had not complained of any abdominal pain that week and that she had decided to take him off of the Miralax. She was giving him my privately owned probiotic, Quintestinal, twice a day to restore the friendly bacteria in his intestines.  The colonic was again productive and when he returned a third time, a week later, his mother reported that he was having daily bowel movements as well as more energy and a good appetite.  His father was so amazed by the energy of his son that he came for the next colonic to check out what was making such a difference.  He had been under the assumption that his third son’s nature was that of a couch potato.  Now Mostyn was getting up from bed before the rest of the family with boundless energy.  Soon after this appointment, Mostyn’s bladder urgency was gone.  

Before having colonics Mostyn had been scheduled for a follow up x-ray and ultrasound by his two doctors.  That time had come.  Would there be any difference?  Yes, greatly!  Both doctors were amazed.  Mostyn’s colon was clear of any impaction.  Gas pockets were gone.  One doctor wouldn’t accept the value of the colonics when Mostyn’s mother told her what they had done.  This was despite the obvious improvement seen on x-ray.  So sad!  On the other hand, the other doctor was thrilled and took Mostyn off of all the prescriptions noting that Mostyn was not having the urination urgency as before and he looked so much better.  She asked multiple questions about colonics and wondered if they would assist her mother who was suffering from IBS.  She was indeed impressed!

Mostyn had always been a delight for me when he came for a colonic.  I loved his courage and enthusiasm.  I watched his personality become more alive as his health improved but I was unaware of his dreams until a year later.  Mostyn wanted desperately to swim and so he had joined the swim team at school but to no avail.  Every time he got into the pool he would succumb to abdominal cramping or felt the urge to urinate so he would have to stop.  This all changed once he had colonics.  He tried again and to the amazement of his school he was the fastest swimmer they had ever had!  He loves to swim!  So do I, so I can relate, but not to his abilities.  Within a year he was contacted by a traveling independent swim team to swim for them.  His speed had been noticed.  He has continued to excel in swimming to the point that at 10 years old he competes only against high schoolers and almost always comes in first.  This includes 18 year olds that are at least 30% taller than him!  He has great endurance too.  He recently did a swim marathon against high schoolers and was the last ‘man’ standing after swimming for nearly two hours!  His future goal, you guessed it, he wants to beat Michael Phelps’ records.  He says he wakes up everyday with that dream.  You go Mostyn!  I am so proud of you!

Yes, it truly is a privilege to be able to change someone’s life and make such a difference.  I am very grateful to have this opportunity to help people.  In addition, I often develop a bond with my clients that is very endearing.  Many people would say that my choice of living is very peculiar but no, it is quite the opposite.  How many individuals can say they feel such satisfaction with their career as I do?  There is definitely more happiness in giving than receiving. 

Just Ask Madison!

I would like to share an experience that I found both funny and very encouraging.

When I first met Madison she was 10 years old.  She is a very intelligent and caring child, truly a delight to know.  She came to my office because she suffered from constant abdominal pain, constipation, (the last time she had a bowel movement was a week prior), as well as she was always tired.  Being always tired at 10 years old is definitely not fair!  I explained the importance of eating good healthy fiber from food to her and her mother, i.e. fruits, vegetables and whole grains as well as drinking water regularly. After the second colonic her bowels were eliminating daily but it was evident that we were not quite finished since she still had plenty of gas, a sign of old putrefied waste.  A few more colonics and she were feeling excellent, both with her abdomen and her energy.  It was wonderful to watch her already sparkling personality really come alive!  Typically, after we reach this point I recommend for a future follow-up colonic since it is not uncommon for the colon to try to go back to old bad habits and in this way the colonic will help encourage healthy peristalsis to continue.  She was scheduled for a 2-month follow-up.  During this two month time period her mother, Tracy, decided to see me.  She had suffered for years with IBS, (irritable bowel syndrome).  We had made some good progress with Tracy during this time and she had considerable relief.  

For quite awhile Madison had planned a weeklong trip across country with her girls scout troop.  Her mother was one of the chaperones.  One can only imagine the kinds of food that would be eaten on such a trip.  As coincidence would have it though, Madison’s two-month follow-up colonic with me was just two days after they returned.  As Madison and her mother walked in my office I heard quite a bit of commotion.  Tracy was begging her daughter for her appointment.  Madison’s firm reply was, “No way mom, I’m keeping my appointment, you make your own.”  And so Madison had her colonic. 

Many people would think that having a colonic would be horrible, obnoxious, embarrassing, and probably many other things.  Well I think this story dispels all of that.  Just ask Madison!  

Colon Therapy...Our Day Will Come!

In the nearly 24 years I have been a colon therapist I have watched my profession treated positively and negatively off and on. I am always glad to respond to clients and potential clients regarding negative feedback they have heard.  The negative ideas are easy to explain away because they have no basis.  If a person wanted to learn about jet engines would they go to a english teacher to learn?  Of course not!  So to learn about what colon therapists do, one needs to go to a colon therapist to learn.  A phone call can dispel any misconceptions and allay any fears.  It is encouraging that many physicians are not as opposed as they once were towards colon therapy.  Hopefully they will continue to learn the facts behind what we accomplish.  It is also encouraging that four hospitals in the US are now implementing colon therapy prior to performing colonoscopies.  Here is a YouTube video showing one of these hospitals. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TeWjxHspRKs&feature=player_embedded

Yet we have a long way to go.  Colon therapy is not given the recognition it deserves.  Some claim that there is no documental proof.  I have often said I wish they would knock at my door and ask about what colon therapy has done for the people I have helped.  Many of my clients have told me of their own accord that they want to share their story of renewed health to back up the benefits of colon therapy.  Well, I am happy to announce that that day may soon come.  Recently I was contacted by a film producer, Julie Tyle, about a film she is producing for the very reason I have outlined in this blog.  Hurray Julie!!  She has been compiling accounts of clients as well as interviewing physicians from all over the country for the last 18 months.  These include GI specialists at Mayo Clinic and elsewhere.  She has also interviewed doctors from other fields including a holistic dentist that has proof of the validity of colon therapy as well as renowned scientists.  And yes....she interviewed me and two of my clients, one an 11 year old boy and his mother.  I will tell his story in a future blog to come soon.  I can’t thank Julie Tyler enough for the tireless hours she has put into this much needed endeavor. The film will take many more months to put together cohesively.  We will wait patiently for that day when the public can get the whole story as it deserves!  You can learn more about the film at:   http://colonicsthemovie.com/?page_id=164.  For more details click on Newsletters on the top of the page. Please check it out!

Thank you as always for reading.

Gailla Deiters