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Summer Camp Week 5: Rev Up Your Fitness With Small Wins

Fitness means different things to different people.

If you’re an athlete, perhaps fitness evokes feelings of motivation and is about pushing yourself to reach an improved marathon time, lift an extra 20 lbs. in weights, or score those extra goals for your team’s win.

If you’re seeking extensive weight loss, perhaps fitness comes with feelings of overwhelm – getting yourself to the gym, excessive sweating, or stiff and uncomfortable movements.

If you’re in life’s later years, fitness may seem like something long gone, unattainable, out of reach.

If you’re a child, fitness might make you think of riding your cool new bike, something you prefer NOT to do over playing video games, or something you only do in gym class at school.

But at Basil Bandwagon Summer Camp this year, fitness is about the same thing for everyone: creating and celebrating small wins to help us achieve and maintain better health and quality of life.

The fitness plan that’s right for you is the one where you’re improving YOUR health, YOUR wellbeing, YOUR mind, and YOUR self-esteem – not what your neighbor, son, coworker, mother, teammate, or classmate is doing. And taking time to recognize your own personal achievements is an important part of the process of achieving optimal health and respecting your effort and hard work!

Small Wins in Cardiovascular Activity

Think about what your current level of cardiovascular activity is (any exercise that raises your heart rate). Now think about turning the dial up one notch above this level. Just one notch.

Some examples…

You currently live a sedentary life and work a desk job. Turn it up one notch, and now you spend 10 minutes of your 30-minute lunch break five days a week taking a walk outside.

You currently go to the gym three days a week for a 45-minute spin class. Turn it up a notch, and now you’ve dusted off your road bike at home to practice another 20 minutes of cycling each weekend.

Tidy Up the Diet in Small Ways

You tend to enjoy three cups of coffee each day. Tidy it up in a small way by replacing the last cup with a glass of lemon water or herbal tea.

Friday night is always pizza night in your household. Tidy it up in a small way by making your own pie, full of less cheese and lots of veggies; or replace two of your 3 standard slices with a big garden salad or grilled veggies.

Move a Bit More

You like to find the closest parking spot when you go grocery shopping. Move a bit more by finding the furthest parking spot!

Your evening routine involves an hour of television with a snack on the couch. Move a bit more by trading the couch and popcorn for some yoga and stretching on the floor – you don’t even have to give up the television!

Try Something New

Exercise has always consisted of karate, jogging and weight lifting. Try something new by attending your friend’s weekly yoga class.

A knee injury has kept you from exercising for over a year, even though your doctor has given you clearance to get moving. Try something new by signing up for the water aerobics class you’ve been considering for the past several years.

* * *

Every week, take note of what you did to turn up your activity, tidy up your diet, move a bit more, and try something new. Be proud of your accomplishments. If you’re participating in this activity with others, tell them you’re proud of them as well – the positive remarks are incredibly motivating and will keep you on your way to outstanding health.

And, remember… at Basil Bandwagon, we carry a wealth of supplements, foods, beverages and body care products to support you in your fitness activities: protein powders, hydration supplements, natural deodorants, pre-workout formulas, omega-3 liquid/softgels, and tons of protein bars. Feel free to ask one of our friendly team members for support in choosing products that are right for you!

Information on this web site is provided for informational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for the advice provided by your physician or other healthcare professional or any information contained on or in any product label or packaging. Do not use the information on this web site for diagnosing or treating a health problem or disease.

July 11, 2016
Herbal Support for Lyme Disease by Ralph Celebre

Lyme Disease is characterized by its large and therefore confusing array of symptoms. Ranging

from fever and muscle aches, to memory loss, depression, irritable bladder, facial palsy, and

brain inflammation, Chronic Lyme Disease can be severely debilitating.

The spirochete bacteria which causes Lyme Disease is Borrelia burgdorferi (Bb). Spirochetes

are particularly difficult to overcome, and this particular one has molecular characteristics that

make it extremely adaptable to its human host environment.

Lyme Disease can have other modes of transmission besides ticks.There is no definitive test for its

presence; and the standard antibiotic treatment, although necessary, has variable results.

While these facts present a daunting challenge to the patient and practitioner, the body’s ability

to fend off the side effects and symptoms of the disease can be augmented with Herbal

Extracts. The following are key strategies for alleviating Chronic Lyme Disease symptoms and

the herbs that can be helpful.

Modulate Immune Function:

With the Borrelia b. bacteria in your system, your immune function will need extra support. Here

are some herbs I recommend:

Cat’s Claw

An anti-inflammatory specific for rheumatic conditions, this herb also ramps

up the body’s ‘killer cells’, and other cells which engulf and eliminate intruding organisms. Cat’s

Claw also has memory protective effects.

Astragalus

Long used in chronic immune diseases like cancer and AIDS, Astragalus works on all three areas of immune function, the surface, the deep and the non-specific immune function. It is an important preventative against the initial Lyme infection turning into chronic Lyme Disease. It also happens to taste good, which is not often the case with great medicinals!

Echinacea

This herb has a history of use against another spirochete, the syphilis bacteria. It helps break down bacterial cell walls, stimulates macrophage (white) cells, and decreases inflammation. It strengthens collagen tissue, and the body’s ability to rebuild damaged tissue.

Gotu Kola

An immunostimulant with an important extra benefit – it’s ability to strengthen connective tissue. Since many of the common Lyme symptoms involve joints and connective tissue inflammation, this is a critical ally!

Protect the Nervous System:

Some of the most life-altering symptoms of the disease are the neurological ones: depression, cognitive decline, speech debility. Utilize these herbal allies to nourish the nervous system:

Skullcap

Considered ‘food for the nervous system’, skullcap is used in cases where there is inflammation. It is useful for headaches, nervous exhaustion, and irritation of the cerebrospinal system. It has also been used as an anti-bacterial, and to eliminate bacterial toxins.

Oats

Another restorative herb for the nervous system, Milky Oats Extract is nervine, nutritive, and rebuilding to a system depleted by chronic Lyme Disease. It has been mentioned in cases of inability to concentrate, melancholy, and fatigue of the limbs, as well as in cases of bladder irritation, a Lyme hallmark.

Ashwagandha

This Ayurvedic herb is an adaptogen, that is, it helps the body cope with physical and mental stress, mainly through modulation of the body’s complex endocrine system. It’s immune stimulating, anti-bacterial, anti-inflammatory, cerebro-tonic, relaxant, rejuvenative and useful for memory loss, debility, and fatigue. And don’t forget to include Fish Oil in your regimen. Nerve cells need good fat!: One to two tablespoons/day, or 4-6 capsules.

Protect the Heart:

Inflammation of the heart occurs in 25% of Lyme patients. For all patients, systemic inflammation of the blood vessels may be the primary cause of the disease’s progression! It reduces blood flow to the brain and the extremities, causing pain, fatigue, neuropathy, mental illnesses, and many other issues:

Hawthorne

The premier herbal heart tonic; this herb enhances the ability of the heart to utilize oxygen! Use a leaf, flower and berry combination extract. It’s cardio-protective, anti-inflammatory, and a vasodilator, helping circulation throughout the body, a critical component of a Lyme protocol.

Bilberry

This plant is essential for use in vascular disorders and venous insufficiencies. Again, the strategy here is: strengthen the veins and arteries to prevent wholesale exacerbation of the symptom picture which occurs in conditions of poor circulation.

Garlic

This is probably nature’s best herbal antibacterial! It aids in blood flow to the extremities, and lessens inflammation in the blood vessels which can lead to blockages. It’s warming to the system, critical in fighting spirochete bacteria. It is anti-protozoal, which is important in fighting co-infections which occur with Lyme Disease. It reduces pro-inflammatory cytokines in the body and is most importantly-cardiotonic.

Add Coenzyme Q10 to this list. Though not an herb, it’s indispensable in your effort to tonify muscles like the heart! Take 50-100mg/day. Also, take 2000 mg of bioflavonoids per day and eat berries, other fruit, and vegetables for food-sourced bioflavonoids which protect the integrity of the blood vessels.

References

Snow, Rebecca, MS, RH (AHG), (2007) Chronic Lyme Disease and Co-infections: Clinical

Overview, Proceedings of the 18th Annual AHG Symposium

Duke, James A., (2002), Handbook of Medicinal Herbs, New York, NY, CRC Press

Tilgner, Sharol, (1999), Herbal Medicine, From the Heart of the Earth, Creswell, OR, Wise Acres

Press

July 10, 2016
New Product Wednesday July 6th

July 6, 2016
Summer Camp Week 4: Bites and Rashes

A true summer camp would not be complete without some chatter about those flying pesky creatures that sting and bite. Bugs are a welcomed part of our ecosystem, but we like them better when they keep a fair distance from our bodies.
Bites, stings and poison ivy rashes can be both painful and irritating. Fortunately, there’s a lot you can do to prevent and treat these nasty nuisances naturally that are more problematic during summer months.

Prevention

Most traditional bug deterrent products use N, N-Diethyl-m-toluamide, or “DEET” as an active ingredient. Unfortunately, DEET is also an eye irritant and an allergen to sensitive skin. It has been linked to possible neurological problems in humans and toxic effects on birds and aquatic life, according to the National Institutes of Health.
At Basil Bandwagon, we carry many essential oil-based bug sprays that are equally as effective in deterring bugs, without any of these potentially dangerous side effects. And if you’re feeling particularly creative, you can even make your own using essential oils from the assortment we sell. Geranium, cedarwood, citronella and peppermint are just a few options that are both effective and pleasant to the nose!
Come visit us to speak to one of our team members about the bug sprays we carry or how to make your own!

Click here to watch a DIY video tutorial by natural blogger, Honeysuckle.

Treatment

You may not know that your pantry likely has some solutions to soothe your irritated skin. In addition, there are many simple, cost-effective items to add to your first aid kit for times of need. Here’s a list of our top 10 favorite natural treatments to soothe bug bites, bee stings and rashes: (click to download PDF)

Top 10 Bite and Rash Remedies

If your aren’t signed up for our Online Summer Camp, you are missing out on extras that go along with these weekly posts! Sign up here.

July 5, 2016
New Product Wednesday!

This week we’ve got a clean Vegan cheese, an amazing new Clif Bar, and a Lean plant protein!

June 29, 2016
Summer Camp Week 3: Simmer Down With Natural Stress Relief
Headaches and heart palpitations and nail biting – oh my! We can’t stress enough how much we despise stress! But we’ve all been there – most of us more often than we like to. And while summertime generally brings more time for rest and relaxation for many people, traveling and traffic and altered schedules can irritate our nervous systems amongst a myriad of personal circumstances we cope with on a daily basis.

Understanding Our Bodies’ Stress Response

We are aware of stress because we know how it makes us feel: sweaty palms, restlessness, stomach cramping, sensations of hunger or nausea, fatigue, heightened emotion, heart fluttering and general agitation.

But, to help manage these uncomfortable symptoms caused by emotional distress, we need to answer this question: What exactly IS stress?

When a physical or psychological stimuli upsets us, a part of our brain called the amygdala – which processes emotion – sends a signal to another part of our brain called the hypothalamus. The hypothalamus functions as a sort of command center by controlling involuntary functions of our body like our heartbeat, pupil dilation, breathing and blood pressure amongst other duties.

The hypothalamus communicates with our adrenal glands – which sit atop our kidneys in our midsection – and trigger the release of epinephrine into our bloodstream. Epinephrine is a powerful hormone more commonly known as “adrenaline” that brings about a number of physiological changes immediately. Our heart begins beating faster, increasing our pulse rate and blood pressure along with our breathing pattern. Faster breathing leads to increased oxygen delivery to the brain, making us feel extremely alert. And all of this happens before we are even able to process what’s going on.

If the stimulus is chronic, the hypothalamus directs the adrenal glands to steadily release yet another hormone called cortisol, keeping the body in a near constant state of high alert that is not appropriate and less-than-comfortable for daily life. If untreated, it can interfere with our sleep quality, digestion, and mental cognition, negatively impacting our work or school performance, physical fitness and relationships with others.

STRESS STINKS!

Luckily, there is a lot that we can do to prevent and treat it. So much, actually, that we could spend a whole summer (or maybe a lifetime!) covering options. But to make the greatest impact this summer, we’ll focus on covering a lot of the basic options.

Prevention

Prevention is key, so let’s start with that. The key here is to change our mindset about stress. Think of it this way:
- To stay in shape, we monitor our diet and exercise.
- To keep up with our hygiene, we bathe and tame our hair.
- To maintain good oral cleanliness, we brush our teeth, floss and rinse.
- To keep stress levels in check, we need to use certain tools to care for our nervous systems.
With this in mind, here are some tools to add to your Stress-Less toolkit:
1. Eat Healthy Meals: Eating nutrient-dense, low sugar meals and snacks every few hours can keep your blood glucose levels consistent and minimize adrenal reaction that can contribute to your stress reactions. Limit alcohol and caffeine as well, as these further contribute to negative fluctuations.
2. Exercise: Exercise is critical for improving your cardiovascular health so that stress doesn’t wreak its havoc. Cardiovascular exercises (i.e. running and swimming) promote the release of feel-good brain chemicals that can counteract stress.
3. Just Say “No!”: It is important to recognize you’re overloaded BEFORE you get overloaded. Block rest and relaxation time into your schedule so that it doesn’t get skipped. Just as you would with showering and brushing your teeth, give yourself some time to quiet your mind with a good book, a refreshing nap, a soothing cup of tea or a walk with your dog.
4. Maintain a Spiritual Practice: Harvard-educated cardiologist, Dr. Herbert Benson pioneered the study of the relationship between spirituality and health. His research tells us that spiritual practices like meditation or prayer improve health. Focus on gratitude and stillness over some quiet time each day.
Management

It’s impossible to eliminate stress completely – and some may argue that some forms of stress are positive influences on our lives, keeping us on our toes – but when stress becomes overwhelming, we need some powerful reduction solutions and techniques.
1. Just Breathe: Take note of your breathing. If you’re experiencing stress, your breathing could be more shallow or more rapid than normal. Try Dr. Weil’s suggested breathing exercise for support, 4-7-8 Breathing.
2. Seek Social Support: Friends, family, mental health practitioners, support groups and community groups can all provide a simple but powerful solution to stress. Releasing tension by talking through conflicts is very effective.
3. Journal It Out: It can also be helpful to jot down your worries, concerns and negative emotion regularly to release the weight of those feelings that you are carrying around. Save your entries in a bound diary or rip each one up after writing it, to symbolically “release” the stress.
4. Take a Technology Time-Out: Many of us spend a considerable amount of time on our phones, our computers and watching our televisions every day. While much of this time is spent doing work, a lot of it is also recreational. These devices can overstimulate our brains and contribute to our feelings of burn-out. Try spending one day a week or one weekend a month without using technology.
5. Get Quality sleep: We’ve all heard it before: 7-8 hours of sleep minimum per night. It is so critical for our emotional resiliency. Sleep gives our brains a chance to repair themselves and gives our bodies the much needed rejuvenation from any physical stress we’ve endured during the day. If falling or staying asleep is a problem for you, seek out natural support (we’ve got plenty of options at Basil Bandwagon – just ask a team member!).
6. Turn to Alternative Therapies: Massage, reiki, acupuncture, reflexology, aromatherapy – these are just some of the options out there in the world of alternative therapies for stress management. Different therapies work better for different people. Find out what works for you and schedule appointments regularly for prevention and reactively in times of high stress.
7. Supplement Wisely: There are SO many different products available to help manage stress. A few of our favorites include:
If you haven’t joined our Online Summer Camp yet, then you are missing out on Coupons, printable lists, recipes, etc! Where can you sign up? Well, right HERE, of course!

References

www.health.harvard.edu – Harvard Health Publications, Harvard Medical School

www.drweil.com – Dr. Andrew Weil

www.kripalu.com – Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health

www.bensonhenryinstitute.org – Dr. Herbert Benson, MD

www.psychologytoday.com – Psychology Today’s Evolutionary Psychiatry Blog

www.huffingtonpost.ca – “Six Ways Curcumin Can Help You Sleep More and Stress Less”
June 27, 2016
Summer Camp Week 2: Stand Up to Summer Sun
Today, June 20, marks the first official day of summer, but the sun and heat have already graced us with their presence here in New Jersey. With the temperature turned up and the Earth tilted closer to the sun, we are more susceptible to dehydration and sun damage. Given this, it’s important to recognize your risk and how you can protect yourself and your health. So… let’s talk summer sun wellness!

Understanding UV Radiation

To understand the potential damaging effects sun exposure can have on our bodies, we must first understand the science behind it.

What is UV radiation? Part of the electromagnetic (light) spectrum emitted from the sun

If UV radiation is “light”, then why can’t I see it? The wavelengths are actually shorter than visible light, making it invisible to our eyes

What are the types of UV radiation? UVA (longest), UVB, and UVC (shortest – mostly absorbed by our ozone layer, without actually reaching the Earth)

How does UV radiation cause damage? Excessive exposure alters our bodies’ lipids, proteins and cellular DNA, producing unhealthy genetic mutations. UVA & UVB radiations can generate reactive chemical species called “free radicals” in our bodies’ cells.

What damage can UV radiation cause? Skin cancers (i.e. basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, melanoma), eye damage (including cataracts), premature skin aging, immune system suppression

Doesn’t my body have any natural protection to sun? In short – yes, it does. Melanin – a dark brown pigment in our hair, skin and eyes – is what gives our skin its tone/color. Some people have more melanin, some have less – the darker the skin, the more melanin. Our bodies produce this to help protect deeper layers of our skin from sun damage, but don’t make us immune to damage.

Understanding Sun Protection

Seek Out Shade Spending time outside is great, but taking refuge in the shade can be your first line of defense.

Choose the Right Clothing Lightweight fabrics and pieces that cover more of your skin are a good idea when your body is going to be exposed to the sun for a long period of time. Baseball caps and floppy hats are not only fashionable, but functional for protecting your scalp and face.

Wear Sunglasses Again, not only fashionable, but critical for protecting one of your most valuable assets – your eyeballs! Polycarbonate lenses offer full UVA/UVB protection. Check the label that comes with your glasses to be sure you’re getting proper protection. If not, some optometrists offer UV coat application services.

Check the UV Index Refer to your favorite weather channel or website to check your local daily UV index. While a low index doesn’t mean you shouldn’t take measures to protect yourself, a high index might help you choose when to take extra caution and when to limit exposure.

Apply CLEAN Sunscreen How do I know what’s a clean product from what’s a potentially-harmful product? Here is a short list of general rules to follow, per the Environmental Working Group, which claims that nearly 75% of sunscreen products on the market are inferior or are made with worrisome ingredients:
1. Mineral sunscreens containing titanium dioxide or zinc oxide offer stable protection and usually don’t contain harmful additives.
2. Higher SPF numbers aren’t always better. In 2011, the FDA determined products claiming SPFs higher than 50 were “inherently misleading” – perhaps no more effective than those up to SPF 50.
3. Look for “broad spectrum support”, which covers both UVB (which is the primary culprit for sunburn) and UVA rays.
4. Spray sunscreens can be convenient for application; however, you should be careful not to inhale any of the product and also to hold it close enough to the skin to insure thickness of application.
5. Avoid an additive called retinyl palmitate, a form of Vitamin A that testing has linked to tumors and lesions of the skin.
6. Avoid an additive called oxybenzone, which has been found to be a hormone disruptor and common allergen.
All this said, there is little evidence to suggest sunscreen alone reduces cancer risk, particularly for melanoma, the deadliest type of which has tripled its rate among Americans over the past 30 years. So, be sure not to use this as your only method of protection.

Summer Skin & Body Care

At Basil Bandwagon, we carry a wide array of sunscreens rated highly by the Environmental Working Group. Find them in our body care section and ask one of our friendly, knowledgeable team members for support in choosing a product that’s best for you. Sprays work great for your scalp, sticks offer superior protection for your face and traditional lotion is great for full-body coverage.

Even with sunscreen protection, the heat and rays can take a lot of moisture out of our skin. It is critical to replenish this to help your skin stay young-looking and healthy! A few of our favorite products that help do this exceptionally well:
- CocoKind’s Rosewater Facial Toner: Spray your face after exercising, sun exposure, before bed, upon rising – basically whenever you want! Several of our team members carry a bottle in their purse! The antioxidants from the roses used to make the water provide great anti-aging support. Smells gorgeous and is very refreshing!
- Episilk’s Hyalauronic Acid Serum: Hyaluronic acid is a fluid component of our connective tissue, synovial fluid and humors of the eye. In serum form, it penetrates deep into the dermis, boosting the elasticity and hydration of the skin, locking in moisture. A great way to replenish what you’ve lost from sun and heat!
- John Master’s Vitamin C Serum: This product contains extracts of sea algae and rosebuds to provide intense moisture and antioxidants to help fight procollagen production. Superoxide dismutase and acerola help fight the aging effects caused by UV rays. Use between cleansing and moisturizing your face at bedtime!
- ICU Eyewear: We carry a fashionable line of eyewear for men, women, and children, including reader sunglasses. We love ICU because they are a carbon neutral company AND they use recycled, renewable and recyclable content!
Summer Sun Nutrition

Per the US National Institutes of Health, “A balance between free radicals and antioxidants is necessary for proper physiological function. If free radicals overwhelm the body’s ability to regulate them, a condition known as oxidative stress ensues.”

The good news? “Antioxidants can assist in coping with this oxidative stress.”

Where can you get antioxidants? Well…
- Eat berries! Fresh, organic are best, but frozen are great too!
- Stay hydrated! Drink lots of water. If you like it, coconut water and maple water are full of natural electrolytes, helping to keep you hydrated. Natural electrolyte powders available at Basil Bandwagon are also a great replacement for highly or artificially-sugarized sports drinks, which also contain synthetic food dyes. Another good rule of thumb is to limit caffeinated beverages and alcohol when spending time in the heat and sun, as they make it harder for your body to maintain proper hydration.
- Consider a Vitamin C supplement with bioflavonoids, which come mainly from citrus fruits and black currants. The antioxidants provided in these supplements can be powerful additions to your supplement regimen in summertime, even though they are most often associated with Winter cold season.
- Consider an Astaxanthin supplement, which comes from microalgae, yeast, salmon, trout, krill and some crustaceans. Astaxanthin is 6,000 times more antioxidant-potent than many Vitamin Cs.
- Consider a Spirulina supplement, which is a versatile algae superfood – available in powder form – that can be added to many sweet and savory dishes and snacks for easy consumption. Like Astaxanthin, it is a very powerful source of antioxidants (as well as Vitamin B12, Vitamin K1/K2, Iron and Manganese).
References

www.ncbi.nlm/nih/gov – The National Center for Biotechnology Information

www.aad.org – American Academy of Dermatology

www.skincancer.org – The Skin Cancer Foundation

http://www.hhs.gov/ – US Department of Health and Human Services

http://www.who.int/en/ – World Health Organization

https://www.nih.gov/ – US National Institutes of Health

http://www.ewg.org/ – Environmental Working Group

http://www.nutrex-hawaii.com/ – Nutrex Hawaii
June 20, 2016
New Product Wednesday. 6.15!

This week we found lots of supplements, and a few snack alternatives we think are pretty cool. I mean- Macadamia Nut MILK? Mmmm!!!

June 15, 2016
Steak and Salad Dinner Deal

Grass-Fed Steak, Local Salad Greens, and Sweet Roma Tomatoes for $17.99? AWESOME!

June 14, 2016
Summer Camp, Week One: Get Right with Your Gut
What better topic to kick off our Summer Camp than that of our guts! Central to our body and to our health, our digestive systems sure are important. And when they’re not functioning optimally, we generally know it… pretty quickly. ☹

Whether your goals this summer are to lose weight, improve digestion, lower stress, or eat better, you’ll want take note of all the little details covered during this first week of Camp.

Most of us have experienced many – if not all – of these digestive conditions at some point in our lives:
- Acid Reflux
- Bloating
- Diarrhea
- Constipation
- Vomiting
- Dehydration
- Dermatitis
- Incontinence
- Gas
- Food Sensitivity & Gluten Intolerance
- Heartburn
- Indigestion
- Obesity
Most of us know at least one person who has lived with one or more of these digestive-related conditions:
- Appendicitis
- Diabetes
- Candidiasis
- Celiac Disease
- Colitis
- Crohn’s Disease
- Diverticulitis
- Gallstones
- Gastritis
- GERD (Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease)
- Ulcers
- Hemorrhoids
- IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome)
- Iron Overload Disease
- Pancreatitis
- Colon, stomach, esophageal, pancreatic or intestinal cancer
Most of us also know at least one person who has lived with one or more of these neurological, psychological or autoimmune conditions:
- Depression
- Anxiety disorders
- Schizophrenia
- Autism
- Post-traumatic stress disorder
- Addison’s disease
- Thyroid diseases: Grave’s Disease, Hashimoto’s Disease
- Multiple Sclerosis
- Pernicious Anemia
- Psoriasis
- Raynaud’s Phenomenon
- Rheumatoid arthritis
- Scleroderma
- Lupus
Yet, most of us don’t know that ALL of these conditions are potentially directly related to our digestive system.

And since we know that what we feed ourselves and how we care for ourselves impacts the overall function of our digestive system, this information is even more reason to be good to our guts!

Digestive System 101

Let’s take a step back and examine the makings of the intricate system that enables our food to be broken down into nutrients, absorbed for functionality and excreted as waste. Simplified, when we consume food, it enters our body at the mouth, travels down through the esophagus to the stomach, enters the small intestine, then the large intestine and the rectum, and leaves through the anus. The liver, gallbladder and pancreas all play supporting roles in digestion as well.

In our mouth, our teeth and saliva physically break down our food and begin the digestion process for carbohydrates with an enzyme called salivary amylase. (Hence, the reason why we are told to chew our food thoroughly! The more we chew, the more burden we take off the rest of our digestive system.)

Our esophagus is muscular and uses strength to push our food down to our stomach.

In our stomach, acid is produced to mix with food, primarily to break down consumed proteins.

Our small intestines utilize digestive juices and mechanical force to finish breaking down carbohydrates and proteins and extracting nutrients within.

The liver contributes bile acids for digesting fats, while the pancreas contributes pancreatic juice for digesting starches, fats and proteins.

Several hormones and many nerves also influence the digestion process by regulating appetite and the secretion of digestive fluids, acids as well as the mechanical motions of digestion. All of this contributes to our energy level, growth and cell repair.

It is important to acknowledge that no one system in your body operates on a solo mission – instead, they all work together to create a state of equilibrium that we call living.

Preventative Care

Now that you know the basics of digestive operation, what can you do to better care for yourself? Here’s where Summer Camp comes in – shifting your focus to the following five ideals will help you avoid digestive complications:
- Stay active: Move your body to facilitate digestion – especially shortly after eating, rather than laying down to rest or sleep.
- Choose beneficial, nutrient-dense foods: These are easier on our digestive systems and generate more necessary nutrients for our bodies.
- Consume foods rich in healthy bacterial flora: Fermented foods including yogurt, kefir water, sauerkraut, and kombucha are high in beneficial bacteria that help maintain wellness.
- Supplement with quality products: Supplements can make up for the nutrients and flora you may lack genetically, from age, or from your everyday diet – see the table below for more information
- Practice healthy stress management: Yes, stress itself can affect what nutrients your intestines absorb as well as how fast food moves through your system. (Slower = Constipation; Faster = Diarrhea)
These simple but critical lifestyle choices can help optimize your digestive organs and their functions.

Supplement Care

Probiotics and enzymes are just two of the supplements available to aid in digestive processes. At Basil Bandwagon, we get a lot of questions about the difference between these supplements. So let’s break it down here:

Herbal Answers

These Herbal Tonics are Powerful allies in terms of strengthening the body’s ability to both break down and absorb nutrients. Well-made bitters are remarkably palatable; the naturally stimulate the production of enzymes in the mouth, stomach, liver and intestines.

Digestive Bitters:

These Herbal Tonics are Powerful allies in terms of strengthening the body’s ability to both break down and absorb nutrients. Well-made bitters are remarkably palatable; the naturally stimulate the production of enzymes in the mouth, stomach, liver and intestines.

Carminative Herbs: (spices)

Warming, gas-dispelling carminative herbs like Ginger, Cinnamon, Cardamom, Fennel, Allspice and others are effective tonics for indigestions bloating and upset stomach.

A wealth of other supplements and herbs can help support relief from digestive distress, discomfort and disease. At Basil Bandwagon, we are here to support you in finding those that best suit your individual needs – so always feel free to ask a team member for help. With this information, you can better support yourself with appropriate supplements when needed, rather than letting the discomfort get the best of you or the condition worsen.

Exclusive Deal for Summer Campers!

If you aren’t registered for camp, click here to join! While everyone gets to read our 13 Week Blog series, only Summer “Campers” get our exclusive content and coupons!
June 13, 2016