Colonista.com

Hormone Therapy Reduces Colon Cancer Risk?

So I was skimming through the colon health news that I could find in major newspapers and came across a very interesting article that talked about hormone therapy and colorectal cancer. According to a study that was published in Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers and Prevention, hormone therapy users demonstrate a lowered risk of colorectal cancer. However, while this news is good news, it doesn’t do much to help you lessen the risk of colon cancer today. There are still no discoveries (that we know of yet) of how to apply this knowledge to medical practice. While this piece of news may seem insignificant, think about the doors that may be opened by this knowledge! It’s always been my opinion that we should focus on preventing cancer as well as curing it, and this could lead to wonderful prevention methods. Do you think this is a significant finding, or do you think it’s too premature to tell?

Four Conditions that Affect a Third of Those with Crohn’s Disease

As mentioned many times on this site, Crohn’s disease is a condition that comes with a lot of baggage and complication.  If you’re lucky (note my sarcasm) and have Crohn’s disease, you may be the nearly one in three of those affected who get to enjoy one or more of the following conditions:

 

1. Swelling of the anal sphincter’s tissue.  This is the muscle at the very end of the colon that manages defecation.
2. Ulcers and fissures can develop within the anal sphincter.  They may cause pain while having bowel movements as well as bleeding.
3. Anal fistulae may develop.  These are abnormal tunnels between the rectum and the skin that surrounds the anus.  Pus and/or mucus can drain from the openings.
4. Peri-rectal abscesses may develop in the anal and rectal area.  These abscesses can cause pain, fever and tenderness around the rectum.

 

Doesn’t it sound like fun?

Eleven Benefits Associated with Acai Berry

 I know—I can’t seem to shut up about this fruit.  Can you blame me?  The more research I do about this newfound health food, the more I fall in love with it.  If you’re not convinced, here are eleven more reasons to fall head over heels for Acai Berry.

1. You’ll notice an improvement in your overall physical strength
2. Circulation is improved
3. Supports weight loss
4. Helps to prevent artherosclerosis
5. Battles general depression
6. Enhances your eyesight
7. Improves suffering associated with leukemia
8. Relieves pain from arthritis
9. Helps to normalize blood sugar levels
10. Reduces frequency of seizures
11. Reduces physical injuries and helps to speed up recovery

Follow what I’m up to at www.twitter.com/colonista!

Eight Reasons to Incorporate Acai into Your Diet

Acai Berry has recently been named the “miracle food.”  It’s said to be extremely healthy and beneficial to your overall well-being.  Here are eight reasons to consider adding Acai Berry to your everyday life.

1. Its antioxidant properties help to fight cancer cells
2. Enhances your sexual performance and libido
3. Promotes younger-looking, healthier skin
4. Seems to slow down the aging process
5. Alleviates the symptoms and issues concerned with diabetes
6. Stabilizes and maintains your cholesterol levels
7. Helps keep your heart healthy and functioning better
8. Lessens inflammation
   

Are you convinced yet?  If not, keep checking in with me.  I’ll have even more information regarding Acai Berry as the days progress.

Rid Your Body of Toxins with the Sauna Cleansing Bath

Saunas make you sweat.  Sweating gets rid of toxins that are hanging out in your skin.  Easy enough!  To get your body sweating, try out this sauna cleansing bath.

 Use a sauna that does NOT have a wood that has been treated with toxic disinfectants.

1. Start out with a low temperature.  After 10-15 minutes, you should be sweating moderately, but the temperature should be low enough that you can stay in the sauna for up to an hour and a half without becoming uncomfortable.  Experiment and see what temperature works best for you.
2. After your sauna, take a shower using all-natural soap.
3. Take supplements to keep your nutrient levels high.

 Are you a fan of saunas, or do you prefer the sweat that works up during working out?

Juice, Smoothies and with Granola: the Many Ways to Consume Acai Berry

There is a wide range of ways that you can incorporate the Acai Berry into your diet.  More commonly, the fruit is used in smoothies, juice blends, sodas, and other fruit drinks.

In the northern region of Brazil, Acai is classically served with tapioca and can have either a sweet or salty flavor, depending upon local preference.  Natives use honey, rapadura or sugar to achieve their preferred flavor.

The southern portion of the country prefers their Acai mixed with granola, which is thought to be a great dish for high energy.

Brazilians also enjoy the taste of Acai in ice cream or as a flavored liqueur (I have to admit, Acai-flavored liqueur sounds absolutely scrumptious to me!).

But there are other uses for the Acai plant besides consuming the fruit.  Leaves from the trees can be used to create baskets, hats, booms, mats and roof thatches, and the trunk wood is often used for building since it’s naturally repellant towards pests.  The acai seed is also commonly used as livestock feed.

With so many various uses for Acai and ways to consume the fruit, it certainly seems like a “miracle food,” as everyone’s been claiming.

Ten Amazing Benefits from Adding Acai Berry to Your Diet

The Acai Berry is an amazing fruit that has a wide range of health benefits.  Following are just some of the great things that this fruit that can do for you.

• Boosts energy
• Improves mental clarity
• Improves digestion
• Includes vital vitamins
• Promotes restful sleep
• Contains useful minerals
• Fights free radicals
• Cleanses and detoxifies
• Has high level of fiber
• Leads to a strong immune system

 And this isn’t even all of them.  I have to admit that I rolled my eyes when I heard that this was a miracle fruit…now I’m starting to be swayed.

The Notorious Acai Berry

Unless you’ve been hiding under a rock for the past six months or so, you’ve definitely heard of the newest health craze:  the Acai (“ah-sigh-ee”) Berry.  But what is this elusive fruit that everyone’s going nuts over?

 The Acai Berry is harvested from the Acai Palm in the Amazon rainforest in Brazil.  Twice a year, the palm’s branches are chocked full of tiny purple berries that have become so coveted in the United States.

 This fruit has an incredibly short life span (it only lasts up to 24 hours without spoiling!), so it makes sense that it is only immediately available in the small Brazilian villages surrounding the rainforest.  However, due to its growing popularity, the fruit is now being processed and packaged in a way that allows it to be transported overseas.

 This is how they do it . . .  Since the fruit itself only makes up about 10% of the berry (the other 90% consists of the acai seed), it must first go through a process that separates the pulp from the seed.  Then the fruit can be used in a wide variety of ways.  Sometimes the Acai fruit is freeze-dried and then added to supplements, while other times it is used for fresh juices or smoothies.

 Intrigued?  Check back for many other ways in which the Acai Berry is consumed…as well as the many amazing health benefits that can be achieved with this famous fruit.

The Dreaded Colonoscopy Isn’t as Precise as it Seems

After skimming through some health articles today, I was smacked in the face by one about colonoscopies. 

 This article informed me that while colonoscopies are fantastic at spotting indications of disease on the left side of the colon, it’s not nearly as effective at spotting possible indications of disease on the colon’s right side.  So, what?  This uncomfortable procedure is only 50% effective? 

 This doesn’t do much to ease my troubles. Here’s what the article had to say:

 “[The study] found that colonoscopies were tied to lower death rates for cancers located on the left side of the colon, but a similar effect wasn't seen with right-sided cancers. The findings were consistent regardless of gender or age.”

For those of you who have had colonoscopies, how does this news affect you?  Are you irritated, or not so surprised?

Fasting During Pancha Karma

We’ve already talked about preparing for Pancha Karma; now it’s time to think about fasting.  A cleansing fast is traditionally used during the cleansing phase of Pancha Karma.

Following is a fasting herbal drink recipe that can be taken throughout the day to ensure that your cleansing fast is going as well as possible.

8 cups of water

8 cardamom pods

4 tsp cumin

4 tsp coriander powder

2 pinches black pepper

3 slices fresh ginger

Combine all of the ingredients in a pan and bring it to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer for five minutes.  Remove from heat and keep the mixture covered for 20 minutes, then strain through a sieve.

Drink this cleansing drink warm throughout the day.

So, what do you think?  Would you be willing to try out this cleansing fast drink, or does the thought of it make you want to gag?