Congestion in the Body

Posted on August 27, 2019

A new client took a colonic and the outcome surprised her. After years of improper eating and inadequate water intake, she decided it was time to make some changes and came in. She expected her body to release a lot more, since she had eaten healthfully the previous week. I surmised her body was full of congestion and it would take some time for her body to decongest, provided she continued to eat well, hydrate, exercise and detox with more colonics.

She was not the first person who misunderstood the time necessary to release inflammation and congestion stored in the body. People feel frustrated that attempts to become healthy through diet change does not meet their expectations of quick results. I understand this frustration because the willpower it takes to make changes can be very strong, only to realize a less than optimal outcome. Patience is key when choosing a new health path. A good way to look at this: For every year someone engages in unhealthy life choices, it takes about one month to reverse the consequences. There are many factors to consider: Diet, lymphatic drainage system, hydration, movement and detox.

Diet:

I advocate eating for your blood type because it’s the best diet to reduce inflammation and congestion (from personal experience and clinical observations). However, depending on the condition of your current health, I suggest you follow it as written for one to six months (although if it states certain foods on the “beneficial” or “neutral” lists are those you oppose eating, omit those foods along with the “avoid” foods). I suggest complete abstinence from congesting foods because even a small amount of inflammatory foods eaten regularly can prevent the body from de-congesting excess fluids, waste, inflammation and congested lymph.

I break the blood type diet into three categories:

1. Beneficial = acts as medicine in your body (try to eat from this list)
2. Neutral = acts as food in your body (eat some from this list)
3. Avoid = acts as poison in your body (avoid eating foods from this list)

Choosing healthy foods daily is one of the most challenging parts of being human. We like to eat what we want and aren’t too keen on being told otherwise. From teenage to early adult we (pretty much) get away with improper diets. We begin to feel the effects of earlier choices in our 30s and 40s. This is about the time we choose mindfulness and cleanse our bodies. 50s + is crunch time when faced with sobering options: change our eating habits or suffer more serious health consequences. The latest health food craze shows well-intentioned attempts toward healthy eating. For example, kale used to be the greatest food imaginable…until too much of a good thing resulted in gas and bloat (to reduce these effects, cooked kale is much easier for the body to digest). Next came coconut… everyone was eating coconut oil, milk, tortillas, cereal, chips and so on. According to the blood type diet, coconut can be inflammatory for some blood types. You could be on the latest food craze train and not realize that is where your bloating and gas originates from (especially if the world touts it as today’s healthiest food).

If you eat for your blood type, the most important thing to consider is perspective. It’s human nature to look at the foods you can’t eat instead of focusing on what you can eat. Get creative and try it. If all else fails, contact me for some helpful substitution ideas.

Lymphatic Drainage System:

Often when we view our bloat, we assume it is fat and don’t recognize our congested lymph. Our lymphatic drainage systems remove excess protein from the body and transport nutrients to our cells. Eating foods our bodies cannot metabolize contributes to congested lymph. Without proper lymphatic movement, our bodies become sluggish and a potential breeding ground for candida (overgrowth of yeast), parasites, bacteria, and viruses (as discussed in last month’s blog). Our bodies become stagnant and stagnation creates imbalance and congestion.

Along with proper diet, hydration is key to moving the lymphatic system (see next paragraph). Since this system is part of the circulatory system, cold hands and feet reveal the need to get things moving. Rebounding (jumping on a mini-trampoline) and dry skin brushing can help stimulate lymph.

Hydration:

As a colon hydrotherapist I observe a lack of water intake as the top contributing factor leading to digestive dysfunction and issues. Half your body weight in ounces per day (+ eight ounces of water for every cup of caffeinated beverages and eight ounces more for every half hour of exercise) can hydrate your body (and colon) and flush out excess waste and toxins. Doing this promotes decongestion.

Think about the water used to clean driveways, our cars, our clothes and our bodies. In the same way, sufficient water intake cleans our bodies internally, hydrates cells and tissue and moves our bowels. Add lemon or small amounts of juice to make it more interesting and compelling to drink. Measure out the total amount you need per day and keep the containers nearby. Upon completion, you’ve succeeded in your daily required intake! I keep a couple one quart water bottles on my desk and I am mindful and encouraged to drink it when I see it all day long. My goal is one cup per hour. Along with eating for my blood type, proper hydration has all but eliminated my overall body bloat. An added benefit is super clear skin and wonderfully shiny hair!

Movement:

Moving our respiratory system is important when discussing decongestion. I’ve noticed an increase in respiratory issues lately, and I’m fairly convinced the chemtrails in the sky are playing a part. I’m seeing more clients report congested lungs and express relief from both lymphatic drainage massage and colon hydrotherapy. Chinese medicine indicates a relationship between the lungs and the bowels.

Movement through exercise is vital. Exercise requires more deep breathing, and this clears our lungs of environmental toxins all around us. Moving our bodies stimulates the lymphatic system to aid our circulatory system. The systems of our bodies respond when we add movement to our daily schedules. We need movement to move the congestion out.

Detox:

I prefer food cessation to address congestion. Creating an effective plan of decongestion encourages release:

– release of congesting foods (stop eating unhealthy food)
– release of dehydrating beverages: caffeine, sodas, alcohol (avoid unhealthy beverages)
– release of carbon dioxide (through deep breathing)
– release of stored waste material (colonics)
– release of old, congested lymph (lymphatic drainage massage)
– release of stagnation (regular exercise)

My professional philosophy – less is more is a good approach to releasing congestion. Start by clearing out what is present in the body.

Personal note: I recently stopped eating sugar and I eat only a small amount of carbs. My cholesterol numbers have dropped significantly and my energy has skyrocketed. Often we don’t realize how certain foods affect us until we stop eating them.

Although supplements can be helpful, reducing your intake of congesting and inflammatory foods while cleaning your colon and lymphatic system can be an effective way to decongest your system (as reported to me by my clients).