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What should and shouldn’t be eaten? How to eat? When to eat? What food not to combine? Food intolerance and allergies? These questions are not answered in detail by the Myosteo-practitioner, but we are well aware that the above questions can profoundly effect your body, giving rise to;
Myosteo-practitioners are trained to screen for and help release digestion problems. Although physical bodywork may not appear to be the most obvious choice for digestive issues, many Myosteopractic clients report a positive outcome for Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), constipation, etc, after their sessions. The intestinal tract consists of muscle and fascia; the nerves that supply and feedback from the intestinal tract are located in the spine. Consequently, the digestive system can be influenced by Myosteopractic techniques. Frequently, clients presenting with back pain turn out to have problems within their intestinal tract and vice-versa. If the Myosteo-practitioner feels there is a more sinister cause to the symptoms then they will refer you to the appropriate health care practitioner. A Naturopath that works on strengthening the organs through diet can be helpful in this area. Some general info Eating food should be a relaxing and pleasurable experience, as well as nourishing to your body. Unfortunately, an increasing number of people eat on the run, swallowing their food whole and consuming unhealthy food, leading to numerous digestion problems. Increasingly, medical practitioners are able to trace disease back to poor digestion. Good digestive health does not just mean breaking down your food properly; it must also allow for optimum nutrient absorption, immune function, detoxification, and chemical and hormone production. After all the substances in our body have to be made from something! It is advised that food should be eaten without any distractions when you are in a calm state of mind and each bite chewed thoroughly. The digestion process actually begins when food becomes mixed with saliva. Besides how you eat, it’s what you eat that is important. In general, most of us eat the wrong types of food (non nutritious) and don’t consume an adequate amount of fresh vegetables and fruits. These fresh fruits and vegetables provide us with enzymes that aid digestion and allow us to absorb nutrients better. Raw fruits and vegetables are best, but filling your plate with fresh or frozen cooked vegetables is also beneficial. The easiest rule to apply is: if a food is no longer in its natural state (eg bread, sausages, etc), then there will be some negative aspect to it. You’re probably saying “what’s wrong with bread, that’s not junk?!”. Well, it is still a processed food. Some processed foods are worse than others. Eat good processed foods in moderation (eg wholewheat bread, organic cheese, butter); eat very little or no bad processed foods (eg viennas, margarine). The next rule involves working out which foods agree with you and which don’t. This takes self observation. Many people are guilty of over consumption, particularly of foods that don’t agree with them. These are foods that are detrimental to digestion, as well as being fattening or addictive. Indigestion Acid indigestion involves an excess of, or possible lack of, acid in the stomach. Frequent occurrence of acid indigestion can lead to aggravation of the duodenum or to an aggravation of the lining of the stomach. Both of these can lead to ulcers, which can be life-threatening. However, some 85 - 95% of all stomach ulcers are caused by infection with the bacterium Helicobacter pylori, and not by excess acidity. Thus it is up to those who suffer from indigestion or heartburn to figure out if it is acidic or alkaline in nature. Acid indigestion should be distinguished from heartburn, which typically involves aggravation of the oesophagus. However, the causes may be the same. Heartburn is a painful burning sensation in the oesophagus, just below or behind the breastbone. The pain often rises in your chest and may radiate to your neck or throat. Common contributors to acid indigestion are:
Prevention and treatments
Myosteopractic contributes by releasing the diaphragm, the organs and by relieving stress in the body. This includes spinal nerve interference and rib and postural tension which are frequently involved. A few foods to avoid Vegetable Oil and Trans Fats Polyunsaturated oils, including vegetable oils like corn, soy, safflower and canola, are the worst oils you can eat. Generally people’s intake of omega-6 fat from these vegetable oils is far too high. Experts looking at the dietary ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids, which are the healthy fats found in fish oil and cod liver oil, suggest that in early human history the ratio was about 1:1. Currently most Americans eat a dietary ratio that falls between 20:1 and 50:1. The optimal ratio is most likely closer to the original ratio of 1:1. For most of us this means greatly reducing the omega-6 fatty acids we consume and increasing the amount of omega-3 fatty acids. Further, polyunsaturated oils are the worst oils to cook with because they tend to become easily oxidized or rancid when exposed to heat from cooking. This results in the formation of trans fat and damaging free radicals. Often, healthy oils (such as coconut oil) are regarded as “dangerous” while the above vegetables oils are regarded as “healthy”, when it should be the other way around. Yes, extra virgin cold pressed olive oil, uncooked, is fine. For cooking, use coconut oil. Soy In recent years soy has emerged as a ”near perfect” food, with supporters claiming it can provide an ideal source of protein, lower cholesterol, protect against cancer and heart disease, reduce menopause symptoms, and prevent osteoporosis, among other things. However, numerous studies have found that soy products may:
Perhaps the most disturbing of soy’s ill effects on health has to do with its phytoestrogens that can mimic the effects of the female hormone oestrogen. These phytoestrogens have been found to have adverse effects on various human tissues. Drinking even two glasses of soy milk daily for one month has enough of the chemical to alter a woman’s menstrual cycle. Soy is particularly problematic for infants, and soy infant formulas should be avoided. It has been estimated that infants who are fed soy formula exclusively receive five birth control pills worth of oestrogen every day (source -http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2008/01/02/soy-formula-part-seven.aspx). Which Soy Foods DO Have Health Benefits? The few types of soy that ARE healthy are all fermented varieties. After a long fermentation process, the phytic acid and antinutrient levels of the soybeans are reduced, and their beneficial properties -- such as the creation of natural probiotics -- become available to your digestive system. The fermentation process also greatly reduces the levels of dangerous isoflavones, which are similar to estrogen in their chemical structure, and can interfere with the action of your own estrogen production. So if you want to eat soy that is actually good for you, following are all healthy options:
High fructose corn syrup Drinking high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS), the main ingredient in most soft drinks, increases your triglyceride levels and your LDL (bad) cholesterol. These effects only occurred in the study participants who drank fructose - not glucose. (source - Medscape July 5, 2007 (Registration Required)) HFCS is such an unhealthy product because it is metabolised to fat in your body far more rapidly than any other sugar and, because most fructose is consumed in easily-to-access liquid form, its negative metabolic effects are significantly magnified. HFCS has also been linked to:
The idea that fructose is an acceptable form of sugar is quite prevalent in nutritional circles. In fact, nearly all simple sugars are metabolised quickly and disrupt insulin levels, contributing to chronic illness. Eating reasonable amounts of whole fruit will not provide excessive fructose and should not present a problem for most people, unless diabetes or obesity is an issue. Fruit juices, sodas and other beverages sweetened with fructose, however, should be avoided. High fructose corn syrup is is not something that should be in your diet at all. But HFCS is the primary caloric sweetener in most soft drinks. To add insult to injury, the corn that the high fructose corn syrup is metabolised from nearly all comes from genetically modified corn which is fraught with its own well documented side effects and health concerns. Soft drinks, of course, are not the only source of HFCS (though they represent one of the main ones). This dangerous sweetener is also in many processed foods and “natural” fruit juices, so to avoid it you need to focus your diet on whole foods and, if you do purchase packaged foods, become an avid label reader. Artificial sweeteners (artificial anything) are even worse. They can disrupt your digestion, damage organs and are carcinogenic! More serious digestive problems There are many problems associated with digestion and the intestinal tract. Some can arise as a result of the factors described above, while some symptoms indicate a more serious problem. Below is a brief list of symptoms that could indicate a more serious problem:
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