©2018 Victoria Bowmann, PhD

We have learned that disease can also be considered "dis-ease", which is not necessarily illness but perhaps a lack of energy, vitality and comfort within our bodies. So, what is the "dis" of disease? The origins of the word comes from Old French where the "dis" represents a reversal or the lack of something. In this regard, it means the lack or reversal of "ease". So, how do we drop the "dis" and get ourselves back to the "ease"? Well, through my many years of clinical work, I have happened upon this useful acronym, DIS, to illustrate the vital factors that contribute to dropping the "dis" and keeping us in "ease". 

"D" stands for digestion, which is our fuel source. The foods we consume including our vitamins, minerals and other supplements make up our fuel. So let's take a look at what foods we are consuming to propel our bodies forward. Clean and fresh is best! We can even make successful selections when eating out if we follow a motto of clean and fresh is best!

When we're wandering around the grocery store, let's stay on the outside areas where the fresh foods are: produce such as fruits and vegetables, proteins in our meats and seafood, those items that have a short shelf life. The longer a product can stay on the shelf, whether at the store or in our pantry, the less vitality it contains to provide the nutrients we each need.

Another component of digestion is our stomach and intestines' ability to actually break down our foods into absorbable parts. This is where chewing becomes important as the saliva in our mouth actually starts the digestive process. Then the stomach secretes acids and pepsin to digest proteins and fats. Once the partially digested food moves into the small intestine, we need the pancreatic enzymes to continue with the breakdown of carbohydrates and sugars.

If there is discomfort during the 60 to 90 minutes after eating, our system might need some additional support. Making a decision about supplements is best done with the direction of a health practitioner. You may need enzymes, Hydrochloric Acid, or even ox bile. There are many brands, products and varieties to choose from, so be sure your selection is based on evaluation of your needs. There are also more effective times to take each of these, so become an educated consumer.

The final process of digestion is elimination. While we think of the large intestine or colon as the body's "trash can", it has many more functions than that. When there is a healthy microbiome (environment of the colon) numerous processes occur. Our colon manufactures B12 and vitamin K, it absorbs nutrients that might have not been absorbed in the small intestine, binds to wastes and toxins so that they are not reabsorbed, reclaims moisture so we don't dehydrate, and also reclaims bile, which is recirculated for protein digestion at our next meal. 

WOW! There's a lot happening here.

Many of us have elimination problems; constipation, which is too slow, or irritable bowels, which is too fast. Perhaps there is excessive gas and bloating, which increases our dis-ease. The ideal transit time (from eating to elimination) is just under 24 hours. If these elimination problems are disruptive to our lives, we should consider reflorastation, which is the repopulating of our colon with healthy probiotics (at least twice a year), and the most efficient and effective method is rectally. Application is easy and simple to do. I personally feel this is a much better and safer method than fecal transplant.

When we take probiotics by mouth, most are destroyed by the digestive juices. When we do them rectally, they are all delivered immediately. I pioneered this method in the early 1990s with amazing success. As of today, I've administered over 40,000 treatments.

The reason this is so important is the "I" of disease. This stands for the immune system. At least 70% of our immune system is in the intestines. The small intestine is 22 feet long and the large intestine is 5 feet long. So, digestion and immunity walk hand in hand. By keeping the digestive system working well we will automatically have a stronger immune system.

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Reflorastation can help keep our immune system at an optimum level and support healthy digestion. Think of our bodies like we do our cars. If we use inferior gas, the engine doesn't work well and over time this can have a deleterious effect on the cars ability to function properly. If we neglect our cars, they break down. The same is true for our bodies.

The stress of our bodies breaking down is the "S" of disease. Stress comes in many forms: mental, emotional, physical, intellectual and even spiritual. Many of us have not been coached in methods to handle stress. Different personalities manage stress differently. Perhaps it's time to look at the stressors we have in our lives, how we handle them and how much it impacts our well being and our health.

I'll be addressing Methods of Stress Management in a future article. For now, let's be mindful of our foods, selection of supplements and optimal elimination. Consider an "At Home Kit" to fortify your system—effectively!

When we manage D for digestion, I for immune system, and S for stress, we can live with "ease". 

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