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.