YOU ARE WHAT YOU EAT - YOU ARE NOT WHAT YOU EXCRETE, A BETTER KIND OF NORMAL!

What a gorgeous autumn we have had, though far dryer than normal which is a good time to look at the two organs that in Traditional Chinese medicine relate to this season being the Lungs and the Large intestine. This Autumn has been much drier than normal and this affects these organs more as they both do not function well when dry. Those with weak lungs notice dry coughs while other may notice they are constipated as the dryness affects our bowels.

After some discussions with a number of people of what in fact constitutes a healthy constitutional, I once again return to the wisdom of ages to clear up some, often misguided, ideas on what is the best way to get your bowels healthy. A good thing too as bowel cancer is the 4th highest cause of cancer after breast and melanoma, Aust. Govt. Cancer Statistics) with over 14,534 diagnosed in 2020 with estimates up to 1 in 21 in 2024 yet this topic gets much less publicity, taking care of all aspects of our digestion are important.

I have recently discussed the benefits of good digestive flora in my fermented foods article a few months back, with recent scientific research showing that a good balance of flora affects not only your ability to adsorbs nutrients from food, but also our immune system as well as your moods. Specifically our large intestine requires enzymes as well to absorb iron, minerals such as calcium, zinc and magnesium so if you are not digesting well this can cause significant nutritional deficiencies in the long run.

It is also important elimination is regular clears out what the undesirable remains such as toxins, cellular waste and bacterial excesses. Such is the importance of fiber, not only to keep you ‘regular’ but to literally sweep out build up and clean the bowel linings. Bowel cancer is far common in men than women and I wonder if this is may be due to the tendency to eat less salads, fresh fruit and veg and choosing white bread over wholegrain. Some

foods are especially helpful to the bowel such as Kiwi fruits, new research shows this fruit contains not just great Vitamin C and fiber but also digestive enzymes that are very good for the bowel. Other very good foods include fresh or poached pears, slippery elm powder, bran and cashews (not too many as they can move the bowel strongly!).

What is a healthy motion? You should ‘go’ one to 3 times per day, generally morning is the best time (the Qi is in the Large Intestine between 5 and 7am) and you stool should be firm, not too loose or too hard that straining need occur, and should not have undigested food in it. It should be dark brown, now yellow or pale or black, and should sink not float. That said, there are always natural variations and missing the odd day is no big deal. Also do not rely of harsh laxatives on a regular basis and these can easily cause reliance and they also upset the natural balance of good flora. Best to talk to a natural health practitioner if you need assistance.

There should be no pain or discomfort, and if there is you should seek some medical advice as you may have other issues that need addressing. It’s also important not to rush as straining can cause blood vessels to become damaged and hemorrhoids may result.

In Chinese Medicine theory the emotional aspect of the Lungs and Large Intestine is ‘letting go’, thus holding onto grief, resentment and grudges can cause dysfunction. TCM functionally pares these organs and modern medicine also note the correlation of Lung and Bowel cancer. So no matter what assails you in life, feel it, breathe, release it and let go of what you no longer need.

Diet wise, you simply MUST eat fresh fruit, veggies, salads and nuts and/or seeds. Limit processed food, especially white bread and sugar…glue and acid as they are damaging to the digestive environment, and drink plenty of water, preferably warm at this time of year. Not anything new, just good old conventional wisdom, to keep your daily download complete!

Until next time

Stay Well

Dr Angela Palmer

Chinese Medicine.