PPS: that video is safe to watch... nothing gross in it

Not buying it.  The science just isn't there. 

What health condition are you trying to correct?

Eat well, exercise reasonably, have enough sleep, meditate, read Epicurus and have fun. All the rest is theory.

No health issues Richard, it's more preventive than trying to correct a condition.

If it's colorectal cancer that you're worried about, probably the best science has to offer at this time is the avoidance of sugar and any other highly refined, highly glycemic carbohydrate.  If sugar is one of the top ingredients in the list, avoid it.  If it comes in a box and has an ingredient list a mile long with lots of stuff you've never heard of, avoid it.

There are plenty of other reasons to avoid sugar as well.

Epsom salt = magnesium suphate.  Loads of info on Wikipedia.

In years gone by, it was an off-the-shelf remedy for constipation and also tipped into the bath to soften the water.

R.

Ok... like bicarbonate?

Hi Izzie,

Interesting!  I practice traditional Thai relaxation, as colon/stomach is our second brain, and mind & body working together, this is unavoidable to relax that part of our body as prevention/maintenance and more.  Not many people realise how important that is for the rest of our body.

(I am not a doctor - don't take me wrong ^^)

Not worried in anything in particular but thanks for the info. I'm Italian, so yes I'm afraid I love carbohydrates...

Love that dish!

"(...)colon/stomach is our second brain, (...)"

So I've heard, but I am not sure what it means...

Our mind & body work together, if you are stressed, angry, sad, traumatised by anything from childhood to now... From your brain, it then moves to your stomach...  Then try and get rid of it... 

By "it", you know what I mean (whatever is stuck in your colon, topped up every day for such amount of time, could be years!) 

The utensil or the ingredients?

Not that I remember. R.

Recommended reading.

Thanks, very good article indeed.

Made me smile because my mother was one of these crazy germophobe mom the author mentions 

But I guess the essential of the article is here:

"(...)The health of the human gut microbiome has been shown to impact varied physiologic processes such as pain sensitivity, sleep, and metabolism (all of which are abnormal, by the way, in major depressive disorder.) (...).

Without constant exposure to these immune modulating "old friends," it is plausible that modern humans are at risk for mounting inappropriate inflammatory responses, leading to many of those undesirable diseases of modern civilization, including depression. I wonder if using inappropriate food, such as vast quantities of fructose, could destabilize the gut microbes and be part of the inflammatory process. (...)"

Exactly.  We're beginning to uncover a brain-gut connection that may hold far-reaching implications for overall mental health and various neurological disorders.  I think it's mostly observational data at this point but it's interesting nonetheless.  The well-publicized study regarding the gut microbiome of autistics is the most recent example I know of.

Interesting. And news to me...

This might be going a bit off topic but do you think there is truth in the old urban myth that children who grow up with pets, particularly dogs, will end up suffering less from auto-immune complaints because of the inevitable increased levels of germs associated with animals?? I guess this is a variation on the hygiene-hypothesis.

Maybe it's not an urban myth!

Started to watch the video but got so irritated by her voice, by the 30 second mark, I had to hit the "stop" button.

However, my first though was, I wouldn't take any dietetic advice from anyone who has a microwave in their kitchen!

Also rather than "flushing" all the "bad bacteria" out your gut, you're likely to flush out the "good bacteria" at the same time and your gut needs healthy gut flora to keep working. 

You're much better off having a daily maintenance "cleanse" by soaking a large teaspoon of Linseeds (available in the Coop) in a glass of water, over night, and drinking every morning.

Completely natural and it tastes disgusting, so you know it must be doing you some good!

And if you have to "read the label" to find out what's in your food, then you're eating the wrong stuff - natural ingredients don't need labels!

Also the current (last 50 years) trend of "low-fat everything" is the fast track to obesity.  Low fat foods are often higher in sugar and contain all sorts of unnatural ingredients required to replace the flavour and texture that "full-fat" foods provide (Low-fat yoghurt being a perfect example.....).

But like most things in life, common sense and moderation is the key.

I agree to add good bacteria  - after the treatment (Mutaflor is a good remedy).

Linseeds has the opposite effect on me I found out ;)

Hi Izzie,

So the question was: "what do you do to be healthy?"

As much as I can, I try to treat the causes, not the symptoms.  Born and grown in the "dirt" of the French countryside, my stomach should be fine!

One example: if I suffer from anything that ends by "tis" such as cystitis, I would try not to get angry at anything or anyone.  "Tis" having its roots linked to anger (inflammation).  My GP interestingly told me once: the Chinese aren't stupid, they SAY : drink water to kill the fire (anger), as they doctors say: drink plenty of water when you suffer a cystitis, right?

Myself, I get a traditional Thai massage on a weekly basis (not talking about the classic massage you can in every corner or Geneva or else, the one that is transmitted from mothers to daughters in the Thai countryside).

i did not need any products to flush out anything, just deep deep relaxation or an energetic haircut and I was there!

http://www.naturaltherapypages.co.uk/article/linseed

Unless you soak them or grind them (as per the attached) it appears that they will indeed "pass straight through"!!

(A bit like a "McDonalds" then.....in one end, out the other and cut out the middle man.  Quicker and more nutitional just to flush it straight down the toilet!).

Just a word to the wise.

Excess flushing could also put the loo out of kilter, so just imagine the régie’s reaction – and bill – if we inconvenience the whole building.