A couple of months ago I had a medical concern that prompted me to go and see my doctor. But since I didn’t like my previous doctor I began the search for a new one and I discovered that the best doctors are typically associated with medical universities. The reason for this is because medical universities are at the fore front of research and development, typically 5-10 years ahead of most traditional medical practices.
So I found a great doctor associated with the University Of Washington Medical Center and made my appointment.
Fortunately the concern that I had turned out to be minor and the doctor told me that eventually my body would work to cure itself.
While I was with the doctor we decided that since I hadn’t had a full physical in over 5 years it was probably time for another one. I agreed and we began.
As part of the process of course the nurse must check my weight.
244 pounds.
Not a number that I was too thrilled about, but not really a concern either.
After completion of the exam we scheduled a follow up for one month later.
On the drive home I started thinking about what the doctor said: “your body will work to cure itself.” That statement really stuck with me and it reminded me of something that I heard several years ago.
That doctors are really only good at 3 things: surgery (cut you open or sew you up), diagnosing problems based on symptoms, and prescribing drugs to mask those symptoms.
It’s very rare that a doctor can actually help to cure you. Your body needs to cure itself.
So I began my research on how to speed up the process of my body curing itself. And what I discovered really made a lot of sense to me, and hopefully to you too.
Step 1: Cleanse
At any given time there is up to 25 pounds of waste in the average human body. The number one reason for any illness is toxins within our bodies. Those toxins may be bacteria, viruses, chemicals, mold, or heavy metals. These toxins cause our bodies to operate in a less than optimal state. Think of a car engine. A clean engine with clean oil and fuel will operate smoothly and efficiently. But over time dirt and debris enter into the system and the engine begins to break down and become less efficient. When this happens you need to change the oil and filters and cleanse the system out.
The same process happens with our bodies. Over time toxins build up within our systems and we begin to break down and become less efficient (sick). Some of us have never “changed our bodies oil” in over 40 years. How do you think your car would run if you didn’t change the oil for 40 years?
So how do we cleanse our bodies of this waste?
Stop putting toxins in
It seems like common sense that in order to clean something you have to first stop making it dirty. Would you wash your clothes with dirty water?
Most of the toxins that enter into the body come from our food. Preservatives, artificial colors and flavors, pesticides, MSG, BPA, GMO. All things found in a typical American diet. The easiest way to stop putting all of this crap into our bodies is to start eating only organic foods.
Oh, and stop smoking and drinking. This stuff is literally poison and is slowly killing you every time you put it in your body. The amount of research done on this is astonishing. Seriously, stop smoking.
Psyllium Husk
Psyllium husk is a water soluble fiber that expands to several times its size when exposed to water. As it passes through your digestive system it acts like a scrub brush gently cleansing your body as it goes.
If you read my post on how to power up your breakfast you’ll see that I’m already putting a lot of good stuff into my body. Simply adding psyllium husk to my morning smoothie is an easy way to cleanse out the bad stuff at the same time.
Squatie Pottie
At first I was skeptical about the effectiveness of this simple device, but after using it for several weeks, I’m a big believer!
The typical toilet is designed for comfort, not effectiveness. If you take a look at the design of the human body, we’re designed to eliminate waste while in a squatting position. Not a seated position. Simply changing how you sit when you eliminate waste will change your life!
Water
I’ve always been a big water drinker. Water is the source of life and is necessary for all functions of the body. However, prior to visiting the doctor most of my water was coming from Costco bottles. But since plastic water bottles are loaded with BPA I’ve switch to filtered water which I carry with me in a glass or stainless steel bottle. Water is one of the body’s most efficient methods of eliminating toxins. So I try to drink at least a gallon of water per day. It’s especially important to drink more water than usual if you’re consuming psyllium husk.
ACV & Honey
Combining apple cider vinegar with honey creates an alkalizing effect within the body. Since most American diets are very acidic, this alkalizing effect helps to balance out our body’s natural processes. I like to mix 1 tablespoon ACV with 1 tablespoon raw honey to carbonated soda water once per day. I’m not sure if the carbonation adds to its effectiveness or not, I just think it makes it taste better :-)
Step 2: Exercise
The benefits of exercise have been so well studied and documented that I don’t need to go into them here. But prior to seeing the doctor my exercise routine consisted primarily of heavy strength training with weights and the occasional 3 mile run. But I began to notice that my flexibility and range of motion were starting to diminish and I was having a lot of joint and back pains.
Fortunately my research led me to discover the amazing benefits of mobility based functional strength and endurance training exercises. These types of exercise are so effective at improving the body’s energy systems, functional strength, blood flow and mobility that I’ve stopped my previous strength training regimen all together. In fact, I’ve even made them the primary exercise routine during my studio’s kickboxing classes. Oh, and my joint and back pains are almost completely gone!
Step 3: Eat Less
It seems like common sense that if you want to lose weight you should just eat less. But anyone who’s tried knows that it’s not as easy as it sounds. But if you understand the basic fundamentals of why we eat it can get a little easier to do.
We eat primarily for three reasons: our bodies need calories for energy, our bodies need nutrients to function properly, or we’re bored.
Unfortunately most people eat more because they’re bored than the previous two reasons. Depending on our muscle structure and daily work load our bodies really only need roughly 1500 – 2500 calories per day to maintain energy levels. If you’ve eaten 2500 calories but you’ve only expended 1500 due to sitting at a desk all day being immobile, and you still feel hungry. It’s possible that you’re lacking nutrients. The vitamins and minerals necessary for your body to function. Or you could be dehydrated. Often times when we think that we’re hungry we’re actually thirsty.
As part of my help my body heal itself mission I began taking some high quality multivitamin supplements on a daily basis. The reason why I decided to do this is because during my research I discovered that most of the food bought in the grocery store is severely lacking proper nutrients. So while you’re getting the calories from the food, you’re not getting the nutrients. Even the organic fruits and vegetable, while much better than non-organic, are harvested before they’re ripe so that they’ll look better sitting on the grocery shelf longer. When that happens their nutrient content is greatly diminished.
I discovered that by following steps 1 & 2 above and adding supplements do my diet, I find that I don’t feel the need to eat as much as I used to. The fiber in the psyllium husk helps to keep me feeling full longer. The ACV drink curbs my appetite during the day. And I’m well hydrated.
The Result
One month after my first visit to the doctor I came back in for a follow up and review the result of my physical. To my surprise I weighed in at 228 pounds! All of my blood work came back perfect and I feel better than ever!
Hi, I'm Forest
I teach people how to kick ass for a living. You can read my story and verification post here.