I knew a little about herbs and found supplements at the health food store that I thought would help. I studied the Candida diet and learned about eating digestive enzymes which helps break down your food, and acidophilus, the ‘friendly bacteria’. I cut back on the yeast producing foods. This was great.

I found some good quality Probiotics and enzymes, and was adding wild blue green algae to my fruit smoothies. I was getting  ‘live’ micronutrients; I started feeling better.

I also went through a few cleansings, which was explained to me that my system was dumping toxins. I almost had ‘cold’ like symptoms and was expelling lots of mucous. When I thought about the word ‘detox’, I associated it with drugs and alcohol. I soon learned that there were built up toxins in my system, from foods and drinks, the environment, hormonal and normal metabolic processes that were compromising my digestive tract, liver, gallbladder, and the blood and lymph.

Some people might stop at this point and go back to their doctor, and I know people who did, but I cut my dosage back to go a little slower, but I didn’t stop. I worked through this process in a few days and my digestion went from being sluggish to finally moving again. I noticed that the stomach cramps were gone, the headaches and body aches were gone, I had more energy, and I even lost some weight. In fact, in the first 6 weeks I lost 15 pounds and noticed my stomach had slimmed down. Even as a slim person, I still had a gut!

Wow! This was fantastic! I know so many people with digestive problems and they should know about an Internal Cleansing Program.

I needed to learn more about these products and have a better understanding how the body works so I could share this information with others.

Once you have done some internal cleansing, you will notice it's much easier to maintain on a daily basis! It's kind of like changing the oil in your car.  It really makes sense when you think about it.

For more information about cleansing and probiotics, visit The Blue Green Cafe.

Beneficial bacteria have been a part of the human diet for thousands of years in many cultures around the world with pickling and fermenting various grains, beans, fruits and vegetables. Yogurt, kefir, miso, beer, and wine are foods and beverages that most of us are familiar with. But the knowledge about beneficial bacteria was not discovered until the early 1800's. Fermented Soybeans on Rice

Today’s emphasis on antibiotics creates an illusion that all bacteria are bad. This couldn’t be further from the truth! Today we are re-discovering the many benefits of daily probiotic supplementation.

Acidophilus inhabits the upper GI, mainly in the small intestines. Bifidus inhabits the large intestine, or colon. Together with other varieties of bacteria, this microscopic population is huge: bacterial cells number more than the total number of all other cells in the body, about 3 to 5 pounds of total body weight!

Acidophilus bacteria limit the population of harmful bacteria, support digestion, and manufacture essential nutrients, including B vitamins. The small intestine are covered by millions of ‘villi’ (like tiny fingers) that assist with absorption of nutrients.

Once the food reaches the end of the small intestine, potentially, most of the food nutrients will have been absorbed. The waste (fiber, dead bacteria, and water) passes through the Ileocecal valve into the colon. The appendix then secretes various substances that help with the removal of toxic waste.

(If you no longer have your appendix, a regular cleansing program is even more essential!)

Cross Section of Large IntestineThe walls of the large intestine are lined with muscular tissue which contract (peristalsis) to move waste forward and permits reabsorption of water. When you experience problems such as constipation, you can be sure that the mucus membranes in the walls of the large intestine have become weak or damaged due to the absence of beneficial bacteria and enzymes, or insufficient water intake. A sluggish bowel can lead to some of this toxic waste becoming lodged in folds and pouches, causing inflammation such as diverticulosis and colitis.

Bifidus bacteria supports the colon, helping to maintain good digestion, and protecting the lymph nodes in the colon.

If this acid environment gets too alkaline, the pathogenic bacteria, yeasts and molds start to get out of hand. Too much stress, chlorinated water, indigestible food, drugs, especially antibiotics and antacids, throw this natural balance off. The best way to re-establish the right balance is to replenish Probiotics in your intestines, and to drink plenty of fresh water often!

A plentiful supply of beneficial bacteria will support the absorption and assimilation of nutrients from our food, as well as the elimination of waste through the intestinal tract. In addition, they play a major role in our overall well-being, through the immune system.

Most people don’t realize that the intestines play a significant role in the immune system. It really is the beginning of the immune response. Many people find that when their immune system feels threatened (the start of a cold, or sore throat), a handful of acidophilus is just the ticket.

With proper balance of beneficial bacteria, common problems like constipation, diarrhea, and gas, is less frequent. Good health starts in the digestive tract! It can truly be said that we aren’t just what we eat – we are what we digest!

For more information on Probiotics or how to order,

please visit my website at Blue Green Café.com.

Cher Marie

Blue Green Cafe

Upset stomach, bloating, acid indigestion, and elimination problems are not the only problems from faulty digestion. This commonly leads to the use of over the counter antacids or prescriptions from the doctor, not even realizing the terrible consequences they are creating.

Proper digestion is essential for health. Without nutrient absorption, cells and organs cannot be properly nourished. Our immune system actually starts in our digestion!

Enzymes are very important elements in food that help us break it down and release the nutrients; proteins, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals, and much more. Food in its natural state, raw, or preserved naturally such as drying, brining or fermenting is full of food elements called Enzymes. Enzymes are not nutrients.

Most nutritional information focuses on nutrients; vitamins, minerals, etc. Without enzymes, however, none of our food would break down to allow the nutrients to nourish our cells and bodies.

Raw food is full of enzymes which makes it more digestible. Food preservation such as sprouting and fermentation create more enzyme activity, but enzymes are inactivated by processing, pasteurization, cooking, and being zapped by microwaves!

When this enzyme-deficient food gets into your stomach, there is an increase of stomach acid; an attempt by your body to predigest and break down the food. Stomach acid is important and should not be neutralized, but an excess can cause problems like acid indigestion.

We all learned in Biology class that enzymes are catalysts which cause other things to happen. Catalysts bring change. According to Wikipedia, “Catalysts called enzymes are important in Biology.”

In the case of food, enzymes break apart the elements of food, like taking apart pieces of a puzzle, so that we can digest and absorb the parts we need, and eliminate the parts we don't need. Without sufficient enzymes, we suffer all kinds of consequences - indigestion, gas, bloating, weight problems, and much worse.

Once the food passes through the stomach, it is further treated by our body's own enzyme reserves, another necessary and useful part of the digestive tract. If the food started out as a processed, enzyme-deficient lump, more of these enzymes are needed, and the system can become exhausted. If there are not enough enzymes to properly digest, it will rob the body of more enzymes. That’s why we often become tired after eating as it takes a lot of energy from the body to digest food properly.

Ethnic cuisine, even when it includes cooking, contained plenty of enzyme sources: naturally fermented (unpasteurized) beer, wine, cheeses, miso, tamari, sauerkraut, pickles, and many more.

Today, we suffer from too many "macronutrients" (protein, fat and carbohydrates) and too few "micronutrients" - vitamins, minerals, and a myriad of other important elements that seem to diminish every year. No wonder we eat too much and still feel hungry!

If partially undigested food passes into the intestinal tract, it is met with our friendly bacteria to take the food apart so absorption can take place. These are also called Probiotics, or friendly bioflora, or beneficial bacteria. But that will be the next article.

So how do you know if you’re getting enough enzymes in your raw or fermented food? Chances are, you’re not. Raw or fermented live foods that traditionally provided digestive elements are hard to obtain commercially.

If you grow your own vegetables organically, or buy from the farmer’s market, you’ll get some of the enzymes needed to digest that vegetable, as long as it’s not cooked or micro-waved.

We need a variety of enzymes called ‘plant based enzymes’ to assist the body in breaking down our food. This mainly consists of amylase, lipase, Protease, Lactase, & Cellulase.

To learn more about plant enzymes, and to find out how to order,

please visit the Blue Green Cafe website.

Cher Marie

www.bluegreencafe.com

Blue Green Algae

One species of blue green algae, called Aphanizomenon flos-aquae, called AFA, grows abundantly in the pristine waters of Upper Klamath Lake in southern Oregon. It is presumed that it began to grow here around 7000 years ago when the glaciers left a shallow lake fed by 17 aquifers, pure rivers, and streams fed by nearby Crater Lake.

The vast mineral content of Upper Klamath Lake resulted from the volcanic eruption of Mount Mazama about the same time as the lake’s formation. The yearly rains wash these volcanic minerals directly into the lake, building nutrient dense lake sediment of over 30 feet deep.

With more than 300 days of sunlight, AFA photosynthesizes in this alkaline lake and blooms four times yearly. AFA flourishes in Klamath Lake, free from the pollutants of insecticides, pesticides, herbicides, and chlorinated phenyls and dioxins. These blooms of algae rise to the top of the water to gather sunshine, and then make their way to the bottom to feed on the minerals. This becomes a sort of ‘dance’ that this living plant performs every day.

AFA has developed a versatile enzyme system that better tolerates environmental extremes, resulting in an abundant amount of minerals, vitamins, and amino acids. Another protective substance, glutathione molecules made from amino acids was probably Earth’s first antioxidant and used to protect primitive forms of blue green algae from the harsh environment.

To learn more about blue green algae please visit the Blue Green Cafe website.

Cher Marie

www.bluegreencafe.com

Hello, I'm Cher Marie.

I'm a dedicated, long time algae eater and have been involved with this company for 15 years .

My interests involve the connection between nature, the earth, consciousness, and wellness. I'm looking towards the future; the future of my chldren, of the animals, and our planet.

I'm also a gardener, herbalist, soapmaker, and writer for many years. I've logged over 30 years' experience with herbs and plants, harvesting for producing a variety of skin care products and soap in my backyard (upstairs) business.

I'm continuing my Master Herbalist Apprenticeship program; specializing in animals. I have two horses, four dogs, and sic cats living with me and most of them willingly eat whatever is put in front of them, including their algae, herbs and supplements.

My mission is to teach and write about using herbs and plants as food and medicine. We've been led down the path of modern medicine, and now it's time to integrate and balance both worlds; each honoring and energizing the other.

Here you will find some of the Earth's best nutritional wellness and personal care products.

If you'd like more information about these exceptional micronutrients, please visit my website at Blue Green Cafe!

Cher Marie

www.bluegreencafe.com