Improve Digestive Health
Disclaimer: Since writing this post I have become a representative for Juice Plus. All thoughts and opinions are strictly my own!
Today I want to tell you about a way to improve digestive health. So far I’ve told you about Tips from Toddlers and how to help your aching joints, today I want to tell you about something that happened to me that triggered a need for a lifestyle change and caused me to do some serious thinking about digestive health.
So How Do I Improve Digestive Health?
In previous posts I’ve mentioned that I had health problems last year. Most of those problems were connected to my digestive system. Because my mother died of colon cancer at the age of 51 I have a colonoscopy every few years. So far I’ve had a few polyps removed and been told that I have mild diverticulitis. (If you are over 50 or if you have a history of colon cancer in your family, or you have signs of abnormality in your stool, talk to your doctor and get a colonoscopy. Colon cancer is nothing you want to mess around with.)
I won’t go into detail about how many times I was at the doctor’s office last year but when the last diverticulitis episode happened sometime between Thanksgiving and Christmas, I decided I had to make changes. I got online and read everything I could find about diverticulitis and digestive issues. Some of the best information came from forums where other people with similar problems discussed what they were doing to prevent flare ups. The main thing I learned was that if I wanted my gut to be happy I was going to have to change my diet. Notice I didn’t say “go on a diet,” I said, “change my diet.” I wasn’t looking for a way to lose weight (although I’d love to get rid of some belly fat). I was looking for a way to reclaim my digestive health.
You Are What You Eat
I grew up with a mother and grandmother who loved to garden and cook. We always had fruits and vegetables on our table but there was also homemade biscuits, cakes, pies, cookies and other sweets. I liked vegetables okay but I only liked fruit if it was in a pie or some of Grandma Layne’s jams or preserves.
My love for sweets continued through college and beyond. I often joked that I could skip a meal and go straight to the dessert table, and in fact I have done that a time or two. The older I got, the busier I became and my eating habits went in the dumpster. Truthfully, I didn’t really care or think much about food. Eating was just something I did every day to keep going. Hand it to me in a box or a bag and I’d eat it no matter what it was.
My colon took that abuse until last year and then said loudly, “NO MORE!”
My Son’s Girlfriend’s Gummies
One night my son came to me and said, “Mom, Courtney thinks that Juice Plus might help you. She’s taken it for about a year and she says it really helps her. Would you like to talk to her about it?”
When I heard the words “Juice Plus” I immediately had a flashback to about 5 years ago. I was at the obstetrician’s office with my daughter and there was a dietician there who talked to my daughter about Juice Plus. I remember her saying you could get all the nutrients and vitamins you needed in a day by eating some of these gummies (it comes in capsule form too). At the time I remember thinking that I was glad my daughter was going to be taking them, but it never occurred to me that I might need them.
Think About What You Eat BEFORE You Eat It
Because I already knew that my daughter’s obstetrician was a fan of Juice Plus and my son’s girlfriend said they were great, it didn’t take long to convince me to try them. The main thing I liked about them is that I get the power of over 30 fruits and vegetables in my body without having to eat that many in a day. There’s just no way I could do that.
I also learned from my online research about digestive health that a lot of what I was eating was what was causing me to feel bad. There are a lot of foods that are inflammatory to your digestive system and I was eating way to many of them almost every day.
No wonder my colon didn’t like me.
This is a picture to show you the size of the gummies. They taste good too!
What I’m Eating Now
I wish I could tell you that I eat salads and fruits and vegetables every day. In a way I do because I eat Juice Plus gummies every day, but here’s the truth. I ‘m trying to eat better.
I think about everything I eat now and I NEVER did that before. I stopped eating cereal (that’s big for me because I ate it every day and sometimes at night). I stopped drinking soda. That wasn’t too big a deal for me because I wasn’t a big soda drinker, but replacing it with water (I drink water at every meal now and in between) is a big deal because I am not a big water fan. However, I’m smart enough to know that research says I HAVE to drink it to flush out toxins and keep me hydrated. I don’t drink as much as I’m supposed to (8 big glasses a day), but I drink a whole lot more than I once did.
I’m a work in progress and while I don’t eat everything I know I should eat, I’ve cut out a ton of things I know I shouldn’t eat. And it’s working.
Too Soon To Tell?
It’s only been one month but I’m definitely feeling a difference. I have more energy to do Yoga every day and to go for walks. I’m going to the bathroom more often, which for someone who has been constipated since birth….is a very big deal. If that’s TMI, sorry, but I know I’m not alone. I have many friends who have told me they have that problem too.
Last night I went to an educational meeting about Juice Plus and while there is a whole lot more I could tell you, I’ll just show you some pictures from the meeting and encourage you to check it out. If you want more information just leave me a comment or question and I promise I’ll get back to you.
If you want to make this year a healthier year for you, I hope you’ll check out Juice Plus. And if you have children and grandchildren who don’t eat enough fruits and vegetables every day, I hope you will share this with them. I know I want everyone in my family and all my grandchildren to take it because their health is important to me.
Disclaimer: I was not paid to write about Juice Plus, nor was I given free product. I bought it, liked it and shared with you because I sincerely want you to be healthy too!
This is a picture of Holly (the lady talking-who has been taking Juice Plus for 5 + years and is now a sales person. The gal in the middle is Courtney, my son’s girlfriend, who now has her mom, dad, sister and little brother taking Juice Plus! The lady on the end is Jennifer and is also a big fan. She and her husband and children have been taking it for quiet awhile.
They also have shakes (I haven’t had one yet) and energy bars. Everything I sampled tasted great!
Every morning I take gummies from each one of these bags and eat them. Truthfully they taste a lot better than the ones my grandkids like that come in animal shapes and these are good for you!
DID YOU KNOW?
It’s now April and I STILL haven’t had another diverticulitis flare up? I’m so sold on Juice Plus that I’m now a representative and would love to talk to you more about how to improve digestive health. Want to know more? Just ask and I’ll be happy to share! Or visit me my Juice Plus website!
