THE IMPORTANCE OF INTERNAL CLEANSING
As people today are becoming more aware of the necessity of taking responsibility for their own health, they are finding prevention is the better way and natural healing methods are less invasive.

As stated by Dr. Bernard Jensen, nutritionist, lecturer, and author of over 30 books on natural health care, "Every tissue in the body is fed by the bloodstream, which is supplied by the bowel. When the bowel is dirty, the blood is dirty and so are the organs and tissues. It is the bowel that must be cared for first."

Most people are convinced that the colon does not need to eliminate the waste more than once a day or even every other day. Proper bowel function entails having two to three good bowel movements per day. If we eat three meals a day and eliminate only once, where are the other two meals hiding?

Without proper functioning of the bowels, waste can be trapped for days, weeks, months, or even years. Un-eliminated waste can cause toxins to back up in the colon, which sets an environment for auto-intoxication -- self-poisoning. In this case, the bowel walls become encrusted with un-eliminated fecal matter, hampering the absorption of vital nutrients and providing a breeding ground for unhealthy bacteria. Blood capillaries lining the bowel wall begin to absorb these toxins into the bloodstream, consequently polluting all of our organs and cells.

Unpleasant as it seems, it is like putting everything you are going to eat for breakfast into a bowl and leaving it in an oven set at 98.6 degrees (body temperature).....then, at Noon, you add all your lunch items to that bowl. During the day, add all the snacks and drinks. Then, for the last meal and evening snacks, you do the same. All the time the temperature is 98.6 degrees. Can you imagine the fermentation, the smell, the toxic build-up that is taking place in that bowl? This is what's happening in your body everyday when there isn't proper elimination.

These poisons eventually seep into every cell in the body, setting the stage for "disease". This auto-intoxicating lowers our overall feeling of health and vitality. We start to blame other factors such as aging on why we no longer have that youthful energy. The true fact is that age is not the major factor with this depletion of energy and diminishing health. According to many sources, these complaints could be alleviated if we keep ourselves cleansed internally of toxic waste.

LIFE AND DEATH BEGIN IN THE COLON
A clean colon is essential to body's health and if it becomes polluted the efficiency decreases. An inefficient colon may become the body's toxic waste dump. A non-allergic person of average weight carries approximately 5 to 20 pounds of dried fecal matter in the system. Overweight and allergic people may be carrying a lot more. In fact, one of the common complaints that women have about their figures is a potbelly, a classic sign of colon toxicity. It can easily be corrected. Nearly 33% of all people over 60 have diverticulosis, a condition where tiny pouches have developed on the intestines. Impacted, undigested food can lead to far more serious diverticulosis which may require surgical intervention.

OFFENDERS AND RESULTS
Inadequate diet, a lack of exercise, and the taking of certain medications, like antidepressants, analgesics, anti-inflammatories, anti-hypertensives, polluted air and water, preservatives and diuretics are but a few of the offenders. Regardless of what causes constipation, a packed colon is a poisonous waste area. Beyond the threat of cancer and diverticulitis, constipation can sabotage you in many ways such as headaches, digestive problems, hemorrhoids, exhaustion, and pain, to name a few. With the walls of the intestine and colon lined with mucus from undigested and un-eliminated food substances, nutrient absorption is minimized. It also provides a breeding ground for germs and parasites. Symptoms of parasites can include restless sleeping, fatigue, food cravings, especially sugars and breads, as well as an inability to feel satisfied after a large meal.

What is true is that virtually all weight challenges can be traced to imbalances in the colon / digestive tract either as a contributor or a secondary problem that accentuates slowdowns in other critical body systems like the endocrine (glandular) and the circulatory systems. A toxic colon results in the body not being able to metabolize food and fat properly for energy and vitality.

KEY FACTORS AFFECTING VIBRANT HEALTH
There are many physical and environmental conditions that have a drastic effect on vibrant health, of which most people are not even aware. Some key points to consider:

1. The colon and digestive tract of nearly every adult is burdened with a lifetime accumulation of toxic waste materials. The very best of diets can be no better than the very worst, if the sewage system of the colon is clogged with a collection of waste. It is impossible when we eat two, three or more times a day, not to have residue accumulating in the colon in the form of undigested food particles, as well as the end products from food which have served their purpose and have been replaced with newly ingested foods.

2. If a person has eaten processed, fried and over-cooked foods, devitalized starches, sugar and excessive amounts of salt, the colon cannot possibly be efficient even if they would have a bowel movement two or three times a day. Instead of furnishing nourishment to the nerves, muscles, cells and tissue of the walls of the colon, such foods can actually cause starvation of the colon. A starved colon may let a lot of fecal matter pass through it, but it is unable to carry on the last of the digestive and nourishing processes and functions intended for it.

3. Most people are unaware of the toxic metals we are exposed to daily. One example of this is aluminum. Our society consumes insidious amounts of soft drinks and beer available in aluminum cans. Also, aluminum is contained in many cosmetics, deodorants and some over-the-counter drugs such an antacids. Many families prepare food in aluminum cookware and aluminum foil. When cleaning this cookware, you can see the black residue which comes off the surface. Autopsies have shown a more than average amount of aluminum in the brain of Alzheimer patients. Aluminum also contributes to heart disease, depression and psychosis. It Is normally very difficult for the body to eliminate.

4. Some individuals find it amusing when they hear they may have worms or other parasites. Yet this problem is very prevalent all over the world - and in some cases, life-threatening! We routinely "deworm" our dogs, cats, horses, cattle and other animals, but few think to care for themselves in the same manner. A parasite, by definition lives off of other things. The parasites that infest our bodies not only live off the nutrients in the foods we eat, but they actually live off our tissues. They, secrete toxins into our bloodstream that circulate and often cause damage. One factor not normally considered is that they are a constant drain on our immune system.

5. If the body is healthy and working properly, it should produce all of the necessary enzymes in sufficient quantities to ensure proper digestion. However, many people do not produce enough of these enzymes. As a result, they often get the common symptoms of indigestion, such as gas, bloating, heartburn and constipation. Unfortunately, thousands of people take antacids because they have seen the ads on TV that convince them they have too much stomach acid when, in most cases, the reverse is actually true. Antacids actually slow down or even stop the digestive process and give only temporary relief. Antacids only postpone the long-term problems that arise from improper digestion.

6. Now also consider the following: in the raising of poultry and beef these animals are pumped full of antibiotics to keep them alive plus other drugs to help them grow. When you eat these meats you are getting an indirect dose of antibiotics. Antibiotics kill good and bad bacteria. When they kill the good bacteria in the colon you are subject to yeast infections and a variety of other ailments.

TREAT YOUR INSIDES TO FIBER
Many readers have asked about the different types of fiber and how fiber can help them achieve a healthier diet. Well, fiber is not only good for your diet, it can also help your entire body, including your heart!

Fiber is the part of food that is not digested by the human body, such as the skin of an apple and the husk of a wheat kernel or psyllium seed and husk. The normal functioning of the intestinal tract depends on the presence of fiber. There are two main types of fiber: soluble and insoluble and both are vital to good health. Soluble dissolves in water, while insoluble passes through the digestive tract relatively unchanged. The soluble form of fiber is found in oats, barley, psyllium, oat bran, fruits, vegetables, brown rice, seeds, legumes. Insoluble fiber is found in wheat, corn, beans, psyllium, and some fruits and vegetables.

A diet high in fiber promotes the production of short chain fatty acids, which in turn results in a more acidic colon and a healthy population of "friendly" bacteria which helps prevent yeast infections. By cleansing the colon and digestive tract, fiber helps your body to better absorb the nutritional products you take, and nutrients from the food that you eat. This makes for a healthier body.

Since we eat far too little fiber, official agencies like the United States Food and Drug Administration, the National Academy of Sciences, the United States Department of Agriculture and the American Cancer Society, all agree that our daily intake of fiber should range from 20 to 45 grams per day for adults - yet, most of us consume less than 10 grams a day! A low-fiber diet has been associated with heart disease, cancer of the colon and rectum, diverticulosis, varicose veins, phlebitis and obesity, among others. A fiber-rich diet, on the other hand, while extremely necessary for proper colon hygiene, provides many other health benefits, including:

1. Improving of overall nutrient quality of your diet. Although fiber itself has no vitamins, minerals or even calories, the foods which are highest in fiber also have vitamins and minerals.

2. Binding to cholesterol thus resulting in lower cholesterol levels. Soluble fiber absorbs water in the intestinal tract and forms a sticky gel that traps cholesterol and helps remove it from the body. Also, because most high-fiber foods are low in fat, your fat intake drops as you include these foods and eliminate those that are high in fat.

3. Possibly helps control blood sugar levels.

4.Preventing or reducing the likelihood of constipation thus fighting hemorrhoids. Insoluble fiber provides bulk and aids in speedy removal of wastes from the body.

5.Facilitating toxin removal and bolstering our natural defenses against parasites and fungi. Fiber is considered one of "nature's detoxifiers."

6.Decreasing the risk of cardiovascular disease. Fiber is associated with normal heart and circulatory system function.

7. Protecting against colon cancer, intestinal infections, and possibly prostate cancer. Insoluble fiber keeps foods moving through the digestive tract, reducing the time any potential cancer-causing substances might otherwise remain in the colon.

8. Possibly reducing the onset of breast cancer. When eaten as part of a low-fat diet, fiber seems to play a role in decreasing estrogen levels that are too high: high estrogen levels have been correlated to increased breast cancer risk.

9. Promoting weight loss. Most high-fiber foods from natural sources, such as fruits vegetables and psyllium, are low in fat and calories; therefore, emphasizing these foods can help decrease caloric intake. Fiber also takes awhile to digest and provides bulk, which helps you feel full and satisfied - and less likely to succumb to high-fat snack temptations.

WHY DIGESTIVE ENZYMES ARE NEEDED
Because today's modern diet includes huge amounts of hard-to-digest high-protein foods, as well as numerous enzyme deficient foods, our digestive organs are constantly overworking themselves in an attempt to digest the foods we eat. Unfortunately, by the time we have reached middle age, our digestive organs have become so overtaxed and exhausted they can no longer carry the load.

Over time, this results in the gradual accumulation - and impaction - of partially digested food in the bowel. Most adult Americans don't know it, but by middle age many of them are carrying around as much as 20 pounds or more of this putrefactive, undigested food in their bowels! Which, of course, is an ideal breeding ground for the toxin-generating, disease-causing bacteria as mentioned earlier.

In order for the body to digest food completely and effectively, there must be a sufficient quantity of enzymes available. As little as a century ago, when most families in our society derived their foods from their own gardens or other unprocessed local sources, incomplete digestion was unknown as a medical problem. They ate plenty of organically grown raw fruits and vegetables as a way of life and those foods contained huge amounts of their own active food enzymes.

These natural enzymes, which are found in all raw foods, begins digesting food the moment it is put into the mouth and is chewed. After the food is swallowed, enzymes continue predigesting the food while it is being held in the upper (cardiac) portion of the stomach. It is held there for an hour or so before it moves to the lower (pyloric) portion. In a sense, we really have two stomachs with two separate and distinct functions. The process involves breaking the food down into its most simple state, and releasing the vital nutrients from the food so that our bodies can assimilate and use those nutrients to maintain peak health.

However, today, because of modern agricultural practices which employ a myriad of herbicides, pesticides, synthetic chemicals, etc. and because the soil throughout America's vast farmland has been leached of much of its vital mineral content, even our raw foods are grossly lacking in the important quantities of enzymes necessary for proper food digestion.

What's more, if the food you eat has been heated to 118 degrees F. or higher, any enzymes in that food have been totally and completely destroyed. Considering the fact that cooked and heat-processed foods now make up the predominant part of the average American diet, this means that the vast majority of what we eat these days is completely devoid of the vital enzymes that are absolutely essential to the digestive process.

Because of this, the human body ends up severely overtaxing itself in order to produce enough of its own enzymes to aid in the process of digestion. According to Dr. Edward Howell, America's foremost medical expert on the role of enzymes in digestion and human health, the human body even goes so far as to shift from producing vital metabolic enzymes to producing digestive enzymes, in order to make up for the enzyme deficiencies in the foods we eat. So what happens without those vital metabolic enzymes?

ENZYME SUPPLEMENTS
Enzyme supplements are the simple, all-natural solution to putting food enzymes back into your diet if you are not daily getting what is needed to maintain health. The increased use of food enzymes offsets the exhaustion of the body in enzyme production that is needed for a longer, healthier and more vital life.

Thanks to the pioneering work of medical researchers and biochemists like Dr. Edward Howell, enzymes are now finally beginning to be recognized as the premier element in human health and well-being. Without enzymes, the human body simply cannot utilize vitamins, minerals, trace elements and other nutrients. Enzymes are the body's nutritional delivery system. Without them, in sufficient quantities, nutrients simply cannot be effectively delivered where needed in the human body.

ALARMING STATISTICS (that should motivate us to make Preventative Health a priority)
* Every hour over 100 people die from heart disease and strokes in the United States.
* According to the American Heart Association over 57,000,000 Americans have cardiovascular disease - it claims one million lives per year.
* 1 out of every 4 deaths is from cancer - it claims 600,000 lives/year and over 1500 each day.
* 3 out of every 4 people die of cancer and heart disease.
* 300,000 people will die from the complications of osteoporosis.
* 200,000 people will die from the complications of diabetes.
* 300,000 people will die from the complications of obesity.
* One out of every seven Americans (40 Million) suffer from arthritis.
* 16 Million Americans are diabetics (600,000 new cases/year) with a cost estimated at $92 billion per year.
* 60 Million Americans suffer from allergies.
* Asthma effects 15 Million Americans and one third of these are children (#1 chronic disease in children).
* 40 Million Americans suffer from sleep disorders.
* 15 Million Americans suffer from depressive illnesses.
* 300,000 Americans die in hospitals each year because of medical error.
* At the turn of the century about 1 out of every 22 Americans developed cancer.
* Now it is estimated that one in three Americans will develop cancer.

We believe, as do many notable scientists and doctors, that the vast majority of these diseases are preventable. While all are not directly related to poor intestinal hygiene, they are for the most part lifestyle-related and due to improper nutrition and eating habits. Because of the above statistics, we recommend a basic nutritional plan which includes adequate fiber, digestive enzymes, multi-vitamins, multi-minerals, and a premium antioxidant product.

Nutritional products are supportive as a part of a good health program.

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We appreciate our associates for their contributions to this newsletter. Please feel free to forward this newsletter on to anyone who might benefit from the information.

May you Prosper and Be in Health!

The Culbreths

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Please note: the information contained herein has been compiled from various sources. The above statements have not been evaluated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. We make no claims, either expressed or implied, that any treatments mentioned in this newsletter will cure disease, replace prescription medication, or supersede sound medical advice.