Rebalance
GUT HEALING PART III
REBALANCE – THE LAST R OF THE 5R GUT HEALING PROTOCOL
What does Rebalance mean? How does it fit into the Gut Healing Protocol? Possibly even more important than our diet and supplements is our lifestyle. Stress can keep us from healing even when we eat well and take healing supplements. Stress is created when we have poor sleep, no movement and limited outdoor time.
SLEEP
Like sleep, and so much else about the body, it appears our microbiome is regulated by circadian rhythms. Emerging research indicates that when circadian rhythms are disrupted, the health and functioning of the microbiome suffers.
Adults need at least 7 hour of restful sleep every night. Most kids no matter if they are 5 or 15 need 10 hours of sleep. Here is some great tips for quality sleep:
No electronics 1 hour before bed – that includes phones, iPads, computers and TV
No food 2 hours before bed
Create a bedtime routine that includes relax time – for example listening to meditation, writing in journal or dry brushing. Read to your kids or do some kid yoga cards before bed.
Sleep in cotton pajamas with quality sheets and covers in a cool room and feel free to run some soothing essential oils during the night.
Write your worries in a journal before bed and teach your kids to tell their worries to worry dolls they can then put under their pillows.
Supplements that help with sleep include magnesium, chamomile and lavender. Try a detox bath with epson salts and drops of lavender.
MOVEMENT
Did you know that Exercise alone modifies our Gut Microbiota with Positive Health Effects. Find something you love to do and help your kids find something that gets them excited and get moving!
OUTDOOR
I like to bring Exercise and Outdoor time together when I can and that is why for our family skiing is the ultimate day. There is so much amazing research showing the benefits of healing outdoor time. The new term is “forest bathing” and shows that just by being outdoors as close to nature as you can the benefits can include improved memory, lowered blood pressure and decreased CANCER risk.
Much easier in the summer but do not forget in the winter months to bundle up and get outside weekly if not daily.
DETOX
Detox is the new buzz word. Our body was made to constantly detoxify all the toxins we are exposed to daily. On top of that, cancer patients need to work extra hard to detox the chemotherapy from their body and it can take years.
We already discussed ways we eat and herbs we use can help our body detoxify. There are some of my other favorite ways for us to help our body detox.
Castor Oil Packs : 3-4x per week on liver or lower abdomen for constipation or perineum for prostate cancer
Infra Red Sauna : so many benefits
Rebounding : inside or outside for detox and exercise and outdoor time – boom
Dry Brushing : 10 min for adults and kids but it turns into a tickle game with kids
Swimming in the Ocean
Detox Baths : Epson salt, essential oils and I like specific herbs for specific needs like horsetail or Black Walnut
Foot Soaks: for example only when I see a patient is deficient in Boron I will have them do boron foot soaks
BioMat or PEMF therapy
Quality Water through reverse osmosis or Berkey Filter
MINDFULLNESS
My own Cancer journey with Zuza and being a part of so many patients healing journeys I find more and more that this is the most important part of healing.
That may be:
Prayer
Meditation (I love the Insight Timer app or headspace)
Yoga
Breathing
Energy Worker – Reiki
Drawing, painting, sculpting
Writing
Activity that does not allow for other thoughts like surfing or boogie boarding (my fav)
Support Groups
EVERY DAY- IMAGINING – YOURSELF OR YOUR LOVED ONE WELL – THRIVING. EVERY DAY.
REBALANCE in my opinion is the hardest to incorporate but truly makes the biggest different in our healing.
