cascara sagrada

Combat occasional constipation with cascara sagrada*

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The herb cascara sagrada has a unique name and an equally unique purpose. It comes from the dried bark of the California buckthorn tree and means “sacred bark” in Spanish. Historically, the dried bark was used by Native Americans to make medicine.1

Today, the herb is used in supplements to help relieve occasional constipation. Some people use it as a “bitter tonic,” or tea. In foods and beverages, an extract of cascara is sometimes used as a flavoring agent.2

The bark of cascara contains phytochemicals called anthraquinones that stimulate the large intestine promoting movement of the bowel. These phytochemicals react with bacteria in the intestines causing muscle contractions that help move stool through the bowels.

Healthy bowels and weight loss

Detoxing the body is key to weight loss. Toxins enter the body from the environment, household products, stress, and more. These toxins are lipid soluble, meaning they are attracted to the lipids (or fats) in our cells where they stay for years and disrupt our daily functions. The good thing is that the body has ways to naturally eliminate these toxins through perspiration, urinating, and our bowels. This should give us all more reason to promote regular bowel movements.

HealthTrim® Cleanse by PURE

Cascara sagrada is the main ingredient in HealthTrim Cleanse — a vegan, non-fasting detox that gently and naturally eliminates toxins from the body. It is an all-natural, proprietary blend of herbs and botanicals formulated to provide gentle relief of occasional constipation.* It also promotes digestive health and weight loss and is one of the products in our Core 4 group of products that help set the stage for optimal wellness.

What is the difference between HealthTrim Cleanse Liquid and Capsule? Both are similar formulations and will act the same way when taken as directed. Both products boast an impressive list of ingredients and share many in common.

Ingredients in both: Cascara sagrada, milk thistle, artichoke, basil, cayenne, clove, dandelion, gentian, ginger, licorice, red clover, slippery elm, uva ursi

Ingredients in HealthTrim Cleanse Capsules only: Psyllium fiber, alfalfa grass juice, boldo, cat’s claw (an herb), corn silk, fennel, hawthorn berry, long pepper, mullein leaf, red raspberry, spearmint

Ingredients in HealthTrim Cleanse Liquid only: Aloe vera, cilantro, astragalus, black walnut hull, burdock, turmeric, garlic, green tea, oregano oil, wasabi, yellow dock

How is it taken? Every two months, HealthTrim Cleanse can be used in a 10-day cycle as needed for occasional constipation and elimination, unless you are under medical supervision. Take up to two servings a day for seven days. Starting on Day 4 and proceeding through Day 10, take Probiotic two servings twice daily on an empty stomach.

You may choose to take HealthTrim Cleanse Capsule or Liquid or a half dose of both.  Experimentation may help determine which product your body responds to the best. Each person may respond differently; therefore, be sure to monitor how you feel and work with your healthcare provider to adjust these recommendations as needed.

Add exercise, a diet that includes more fiber and more water to your regimen while also reducing stress, and you’ll be on your way to regular. For longer, more persistent constipation, please consult your healthcare provider.

1https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhamnus_purshiana

2https://medlineplus.gov/druginfo/natural/773.html

 

 

 

The scoop on poop

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Are you regular or do you suffer from occasional constipation?  Doctors often say that we all have different schedules. We may eliminate a number of times per week, or, on the contrary, eliminate once or twice per week. Is one healthier than the other?

If you look to nature, you’ll notice that animals poop shortly after they eat. Americans tend to be constipated. The biggest reason is that our diet is highly processed and lacking of fiber needed for healthy bowel function. Consequently, the healthy “two to three bowel movements per day” is significantly dwindled to once or twice a week, or even less frequent than that.

Does it matter how frequently you poop? 

To answer this question, think of a toilet. If everyone used the toilet but didn’t flush it, bacteria would form and it would become an unhealthy environment. Additionally, the toilet would be so full, that it may get clogged. So what do you think happens to your body when you fail to properly eliminate your waste? The colon builds up toxins that eventually cause the body to break down.

In order to maintain healthy bowel function you need to: 1) eat a proper diet, 2) drink plenty of water, 3) get adequate exercise, and 4) maintain healthy stress levels.

Eat a proper diet

That includes fiber! High-fiber diets help with digestion. Whole, fresh fruits and vegetables; plant-based proteins like nuts and seeds, and whole grains like brown rice, quinoa, amaranth, millet, and oats contain fiber. Soda, sugar, baked goods, fast food and processed foods do not.

Women need 25 grams of fiber per day, and men need 38 grams per day, according to the Institute of Medicine. Our 360 Complete Shake contains 11g of dietary fiber. Half an ounce of Mila contains a hefty 5.5 grams of fiber, important for supporting digestion, promoting weight loss and helping prevent constipation. Additionally, Probiotic has been shown to promote gut health.

Drink plenty of water

Water helps hydrate the body, including the digestive tract. Dehydration is a common culprit for constipation. Sixty percent1 of your body is made up of water. It’s essential for maintaining life-sustaining reactions. It carries nutrients, oxygen, and waste products throughout the body.

Image from http://www.h4hinitiative.com/book/print/68

Exercise regularly

Your digestive tract is one long muscular tube from your mouth, all the way down to your anus.  When you exercise, you tone ALL muscles in your body, including your digestive tract.  Exercising also helps stimulate peristalsis, which is the contraction of the muscle tissue in the intestines.

Maintain healthy stress levels

Stress in any form may impede the body’s ability to eliminate waste.  When the body tenses up, it is unable to flow and perform optimally. Look for ways you can mitigate your stress throughout the day. Adopt a breathing technique, take a walk, do a five-minute meditation.  In the evening before bed try taking a warm bath. Getting healthy sleep at night will help you better manage stress during the day and maintain your body’s natural schedule.

Provide gentle relief with HealthTrim® Cleanse

Our HealthTrim Cleanse (liquid and capsule) products contain an all-natural, proprietary blend of herbs and botanicals formulated for the purpose of providing gentle relief of occasional constipation.* The primary ingredient in this product is cascara sagrada. Based on anecdotal reports, cascara as ingredient alone can produce a bowel movement within 6-8 hours, but it may not occur for 24 hours after administration.  Learn more about HealthTrim Cleanse.

Creating healthy bowel habits takes time.  Be patient with the process; but also be consistent.  For example, even if you do not have the urge to eliminate first thing in the morning, sit on the toilet for three to five minutes anyway. Create the space for your body to do what it is naturally designed to do, and it will likely follow suit. Developing healthy bowel activity may help you maintain better health and well-being.

 

1http://www.h4hinitiative.com/book/print/68