Don’t End Up Like Elvis Presley, Part 2

In my previous blog post, we discussed the importance of deep
breathing and percussion for cleaning out the gunk in your lungs.
And I touched on the not-so-delicate subject of cleaning out the
gunk in your body for better digestive health.

Why am I spending two blog posts on this subject?

Because it’s important!

Enhancing your body’s digestive and eliminative abilities can have
a dramatic effect on your energy levels, quality of sleep, and
overall health.

It may also protect you against various illnesses, ranging from
certain types of cancer to chronic fatigue.

Another benefit: the faster your body can process and eliminate
what you eat, the better it utilizes the macro- and micro-nutrients
from the food…AND the quicker it gets rid of the wastes and
toxins that collect in certain organs, such as the colon and
liver.

This is a key to losing weight, as well as maintaining your ideal
weight, once you get there.

How do you enhance the health of your digestive and eliminative
organs?

Well, one way is through – you guessed it – deep diaphragmatic
breathing.

Breathing deeply, down into your belly, provides a massaging effect
to your organs. The stomach, intestines and colon rely in part on
peristaltic action to move food and, later, wastes. The massaging
effect from deep breathing enhances this effect.

Also, deep breathing introduces higher quantities of vital oxygen
into your bloodstream and cells. So your cells have higher levels
of energy and are able to remove their waste products more
efficiently as well.

Another very important practice is getting plenty of fiber in your
diet. If you eat a lot of fruits and vegetables, as well as whole
grain products, then you are probably getting enough fiber.

Unfortunately, most people only get about a quarter to one half
of the recommended daily intake of fiber.

So, you could probably stand to eat more fruits, veggies and whole
grains. You can also supplement with fiber products containing
psyllium seeds, such as Metamucil.

An easy step is to eat a salad or piece of fruit with every meal,
and as a snack.

When you first begin to increase your fiber intake, you may notice
a dramatic, and sometimes unsettling, change in your bowel
movements. This is because the fiber is literally scraping and
capturing a lot of the gunk trapped along the walls of your colon.

Stick with it. Things will smooth out within a few days. It’s
just your body adapting to a new, healthier regimen.

There are also various types of “colon cleansing” products out
there. I’ve never tried this approach, so I can’t speak to its
efficacy. (Some people swear by them.)

I CAN say that I will probably never try a “colon cleanse”, unless
someone is holding a gun to my head and making me do it.

It just seems like such as invasive way to approach the problem.
And, some health  practitioners, including physicians, are
warning that the more aggressive methods for cleansing not only
are unnecessary, but can also cause infections.

Your body can best do the job, as long as you are treating it
right through diet, plenty of fiber and water, and plenty of
good ol’ fashioned deep breathing.

You Can Do It!

Karen
www.BestBreathingExercises.com

P.S. If you’re looking to lose weight, burn fat, AND increase
digestion and elimination, then the “Fire Up Your Metabolism”
Program is for you. Learn simple but powerful movements that
force more oxygen into your system, massage your organs and help
tighten and reduce your waistline. Click here for more info.

P.P.S. For a good all-around breathing and relaxation program,
check out the Secret Power of Dynamic Energy Exercise Course,
Volume 1: Invigorate and Rejuvenate. Just a few minutes a day
with this program will open up your lungs, allow for fuller,
clearer breathing, and relieve tight muscles caused by stress.
Check it out here.

Copyright, Karen Van Ness, 2011